


An Otherwise Disappointing Life

by brunetteandblond



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Bisexual Waverly Earp, Brooding, Everyone Has Issues, Everyone Is Gay, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Lesbian Nicole Haught, Love Confessions, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mutual Pining, Nicole Haught Backstory, No Revenants (Wynonna Earp), Pansexual Wynonna Earp, Secrets, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, So Much Fluff (but angst too), Soft Nicole Haught, Supportive Earp Siblings (Wynonna Earp), WayHaught feels 24/7, Wynonna Earp & Nicole Haught Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2020-07-25 20:09:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 37,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20031631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brunetteandblond/pseuds/brunetteandblond
Summary: Nicole Haught needs a girlfriend. At least, that's what her best friend tells her. Repeatedly. Wynonna Earp won't stop talking about it.Her other housemates like giving their unwarranted advice, too. Not like they would admit anything was wrong in their lives. Everyone else is doing great. Super. They're all so good at adulting.Waverly Earp grew up thinking her sister abandoned her. Needing the truth about why Wynonna did what she did, she shows up on the group's doorstep without warning. Startling Wynonna, intriguing Nicole, and confusing everyone else, she sends the residents into a whirlwind of changes (that might include love).





	1. The One Where Waverly Scares the Shit Outta Wynonna

**Author's Note:**

> NEW FIC! Woohoo! 
> 
> Hey, guys! Some of you might know me from "Are We Electric?" "Darkest Shade of Blue" or "Moving On" but some of you are newbies to my angsty fics. Welcome! This is gonna be fun! 
> 
> When you're done reading, please let me know what you are all thinking with a comment or message me on tumblr @haugnt-n-cold-gay / twitter @chaoticpeacemkr

The hospital was buzzing, but not with your average doctors, nurses, or patients; the shabby and neglected building resided poor and unafraid young adults as property guardians, keeping the building safe in exchange for cheaper rent. Everyone lived in close quarters, sharing the occasional bed or cigarette. Despite the situation, the group of ‘adults’ didn’t know each other too well. Sure, they knew everyone’s eating habits, strange addictions, and bathroom schedule, but there was an unspoken agreement about not invading one’s intellectual and emotional space (even though everyone invaded physical spaces quite often). They called their building ‘Purgatory’ as a joke, but something was unsettling and freaky about living in an old abandoned hospital.

Not every day was sunny and friendly and rainbows, sadly. Fights occurred frequently, usually ending up with someone losing their voice from a screaming match or someone storming out. But even so, much like a family, it didn’t take long for everyone to forget about the argument and hang out again, ready to fight about something else just as unimportant. 

Any time that Nicole Haught had company over, she reiterated over and over again that she wasn’t in a commune (her parents jumped from cult to cult and she didn’t want anyone to think that she lived like that). Her best friend, Wynonna Earp, would probably interrupt and say that they were definitely in a commune and that they ended every night with an orgy. While Nicole lived in Purgatory, she lost a lot of her friends. Not that she minded, really. Most of her friends didn’t understand her ‘lifestyle’ choices. They didn’t care about her being lesbian, they judged her reasoning for becoming a Private Investigator since most of her friends were cops that she used to work with. She was on track for becoming the youngest detective at her precinct but then quit. And no one knew why. 

“It’s not for the money,” the redhead argued as she rubbed her temples, staring at her best friend with frustration as she knitted a pride hat for winter. 

Wynonna understood that. She just liked messing with the woman. And, since Nicole never actually told her why she quit, she wanted to see if pushing her would give up the truth. Nicole Haught was stubborn, though. And kept things to herself, even if she trusted the brunette wholeheartedly. 

“I know that, Haught-sauce. I know you do it for all the pictures of people having affairs. Into voyeurism, Jessica Jones?” Wynonna asked her, wiggling her eyebrows up and down suggestively. 

Nicole glared at her and argued, “If anyone is a perv between you and me, it’s you, Earp. I still don’t know how you don’t have any diseases.” 

“I’m horny but smart, Haught-tomato. And at least _ I _get some.” 

“Not everyone needs sex all the time. As I have told you numerous times, usually when you offer sex, I need more than that. An actual relationship.” 

Wynonna smirked and commented, “I almost forgot, the last time you had a romantic rendezvous with a stranger, you ended up marrying her.” 

The redhead leaned forward from her uncomfortable chair to punch her shoulder and said with a pout, “I regret telling you that.” 

“You were drunk. Who can blame you? Besides, you told me as a personal anecdote to convince me why you didn’t want to fuck me for fun. Trust me, it worked. Marrying you, Haught. Sounds like a nightmare.” 

From the doorway to the ‘living area’, someone else said, “You two already sound like an old married couple.” 

The friends turned to see Xavier Dolls just standing there, brooding as he leaned on the doorframe, acting all mysterious. He was the kind of guy who’d come back at odd hours of the night but could wake up earlier than everyone without complaint. Many theorized he was a spy but no one could understand why a spy would stay in Purgatory. 

“Ha,” Wynonna deadpanned and then sighed, “Are you just going to continue standing there like a weirdo or will you sit down with us?”

He chuckled and shook his head, but slowly moved his way to the two women. When he first moved in, he barely spoke to them. Now, he sometimes had conversations with them. Reluctantly. He didn’t want to reveal any personal information by accident, even though he had to admit that their company was not awful. 

“I have a job for you, Earp,” He announced as he sat down next to her on the musty, foul-smelling couch across from the lawn chair Nicole was sitting in. 

Wynonna raised an eyebrow, listening intently. Legally, on record, she was a bounty hunter, paid to find criminals who usually skipped out during bail. Not on the record, she was known for completing odd jobs, somehow being talented in just knowing the right people. Nicole used her all the time and now Dolls learned how useful she was. 

“Can you find someone who can hack into a University network?” 

Nicole immediately put her fingers in her ears and said, “I’m going to pretend like I didn’t just hear that.” 

Ignoring her best friend, Wynonna answered, “You mean other than our resident genius, Jeremy Chetri? Though, he probably wouldn’t do it. Too afraid of breaking the law. Of course, I can, Dolls. Should I ask for a meeting?”

He nodded and asked, “You don’t even want to know why?” 

“You wouldn’t fucking tell me if I asked, so no. You’re a dick for the sake of being a dick. I have you figured out.” 

She was lying, but their banter felt light and easy. Even Nicole joined in, goofing around with the two of them. The three of them worked from home a lot of the time (sans the time they were all investigating different things) and learned how to be around each other most of the day. When they first met, none of them got along. Now, Wynonna’s feet were on Xavier’s lap as they both listened to Nicole ranting about a client who thought she hadn’t done as well of a job as he wanted. 

“He’s a dumb fuck, Haughtstuff,” Wynonna told her with a shrug. “You’re doing him a favor. Not the other way around.” 

“Who’s a dumb f…” Jeremy began as he entered the room and stopped talking abruptly, not wanting to say that word. He blushed and sat down on the ground next to Nicole, looking at the ground with embarrassment. 

“My client,” Nicole answered with a sigh. “He’s not paying me even though I did my damn job. How was your day, Jeremy?”

The youngest boy groaned and laid down, looking defeated. Even though he was a vet, he was drowning in college debt. Besides, after spending time in Purgatory, where he had friends who seemed to genuinely appreciate him, he didn’t feel the need to move out of the gross hospital. 

“Not good. A lady yelled at me because her cat got sicker, even though I wasn’t the vet that helped her originally. I almost started crying.” 

“Don’t let the assholes get you down, Chetri, or take advantage of you,” Wynonna told him wisely and then changed the subject. “ Are you cooking dinner tonight?” 

The vet sat up and kindly asked her what she wanted to eat. As tired as he was after a day’s work, he was Purgatory’s cook, and he enjoyed being appreciated by his friends. None of them could afford to dine out every night, anyway. It was the one thing that brought the whole group together, without fail. Even Bobo Del Rey, sometimes, when he wasn’t locked in his room. 

The odd man was older than the rest of them, but they didn’t know _ how _much older. None of them knew Bobo’s real age, not that he would ever tell any of them. Most of the time, the man with the multi-colored beard and hair remained locked up in his room, blasting jazz and painting strange things. He once told Jeremy that he could move objects with his mind. The younger boy flinched away when the conversation ended with Bobo biting at the air. 

“Is Robin coming over to fix the toilet?” Dolls asked the younger boy as the four of them got up to head toward the cramped kitchen. 

Jeremy immediately blushed and stuttered, “Wh-Why would I know if Robin was coming over?” 

Robin Jett was the building’s handyman, but he spent a lot of time in Purgatory to just hang out. Everyone knew he stuck around for Jeremy, the closeted gay that everyone knew was gay, though the poor boy would never admit it. 

“He’s not coming over to see us,” Wynonna muttered under her breath and shared an exasperated look with the redhead. The two of them tried to push the boys together, but neither of them made any moves, much to their chagrin. 

Trying to shake away any thoughts of the boy in his head, Jeremy started making spaghetti as he listened to the three other adults argue about true crime cases that they were all heavily invested in. Though the three never joined in with helping and took up most of the room in the cramped kitchen, Jeremy liked their company nonetheless. 

“Dearie me, something smells delicious in here,” Doc Holliday called out as he entered the kitchen, looking at the group of people with mischief in his eyes. Despite his late hours and job bartending, he was always home for dinner. He never grew up with home-cooked meals at home when he was younger, so he took advantage of what his friends had to offer.

“Doc, thank god you’re here,” Jeremy told him with relief. “Can you set the table? These idiots are too lazy to.” 

The man who looked to be cosplaying cowboy characters tipped his hat at the nerd and grabbed plates and silverware for the cheap card table that they had in a room next to the makeshift kitchen. He was just happy to be in a different room than Wynonna. The two of them had an on and off friends with benefits type relationship, and he accidentally told the brunette that he wanted more from her during their last sexual encounter. After she told him that wasn’t what she wanted and left him alone in his room, naked and sad, he had avoided her as much as possible. Doc seemed to have the worst luck with the ladies (and the occasional male, too).

Jeremy put the spaghetti into a huge bowl and brought it to the table so that they could all get the amount they wanted. He learned early on that serving people from the stove wasn’t such a good idea. A lot of the group skipped other meals, so they tended to be violent and monstrous as they grabbed food. 

The second they all sat down to eat, they heard the door open, and they expected Robin to walk into the room like any other day. Jeremy even had a plate there for him on the table if he was going to come and join. He sat up straighter, hoping that the man would eat with them. 

“Wynonna?” 

The voice made the brunette jump up in surprise. She hadn’t heard that voice in years. Her friends looked around at each other in confusion. They didn’t recognize the voice and couldn’t understand why the girl was so startled by such an innocent sound. 

The person who matched the voice entered the dining room and gaped at her older sister, who looked like she was about to faint. The two of them hadn’t seen each other in years, despite them being close when they were kids. 

“Wh-What are you doing here?” Wynonna questioned breathlessly, still stunned and unsure if she was imagining her baby sister standing there. 

“You send me a birthday gift every year,” Waverly Earp said with a flustered laugh. “It has the return address on it. I wasn’t expecting this… though.” She looked around at the old hospital wondering why anyone would choose to live in such a way. 

Wynonna didn’t like that answer. “Fine, but _ why _are you here? Now?” 

“Because I… I miss my sister. I haven’t seen you in… I don’t know how long. I missed you at my graduation.” 

The older sister frowned, feeling guilty that she hadn’t shown up to her sister’s college graduation when she hinted that she would. Fear got the best of her, though. In the end, as it always would.

“Gus and Curtis wouldn’t have wanted me there,” Wynonna mentioned as an excuse, ignoring her friends’ quizzical and confused faces. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I should have called. We should have met up at some point. But why _ here _? Why right now?” 

“I’m moving here. To Boston. I thought… I dunno. That you might want some company…” She looked around at all the people that were staring at her. “But it seems like you have plenty of company. Darn it. I should have called and warned you I was coming. I thought… surprising you would be a good idea.” 

Wynonna didn’t disagree with her. “Well, you did surprise me. That mission was accomplished. Super accomplished. Listen uh… sit down. You can stay with me tonight and tomorrow we can start looking for places for you to stay, alright?” 

“We’re not allowed overnight guests--” 

“What Lucado doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” Wynonna interrupted Jeremy with a sigh. Lucado owned the building and made sure they followed idiotic rules that didn’t help anybody. “Sit, Waves. Eat.” 

Waverly nodded, a little bummed, and sat down next to her sister. She was expecting to be welcomed with a hug and cheering and maybe even champagne involved. Perhaps, she thought she was expecting too much, but she was still hurt that her sister didn’t seem more excited to see her. She could remember a time where her older sister didn’t want to ever leave her behind. 

“Everyone, this is my sister, Waverly,” Wynonna introduced to her friends. “Waverly, these are my housemates. We’re guardians to this place. We call it Purgatory. It’s not ideal, but it’s cheap. That’s Xavier Dolls, he’s as elusive as a cryptid. Sitting next to him is Doc Holliday, cowboy and bartender. Rule stickler over there is Jeremy Chetri, chef and resident nerd. And next to me, here, is Nicole Haught. She’s super lesbian and really needs some sex. Not that you have to worry about that, baby girl.” 

Waverly waved at all the adults awkwardly and finished as she looked at the redhead and blushed. Truthfully, Waverly needed company in that department, too. She was happy that she broke up with her college boyfriend, Champ Hardy, but she did miss the sex. 

Nicole tried hard not to look too closely at the younger brunette. As much as she hated to admit that Wynonna was right, it had been a long time since she was in a relationship. And Waverly was undeniably beautiful. But she was also Wynonna’s sister and the last thing she wanted to do was make things more complicated. 

“You’re a lot older than I expected,” Dolls commented as he started to dig into the food again. “When Earp talked about you, I always thought you were much younger.” 

“That’s because when Wynonna left, I was twelve,” Waverly told him honestly, not trying to sound accusatory. “It’s been what, ten years? Since we actually saw each other.” 

She was technically being honest before. She _ was _here to spend time with Wynonna. But she was also here for answers. One day Wynonna was there when she was younger and the next day she was gone, without explanation. Her aunt and uncle refused to talk about it, even as the years progressed and Wynonna remained far away from them. 

Wynonna gulped and nodded, taking a sip of whiskey that Doc brought home that he illegally stole. They wouldn’t tell Nicole that, though. She wouldn’t drink it if she knew the truth. All Wynonna knew was that she needed a lot more alcohol to get through the night.


	2. The One Where Waverly and Nicole Share a Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly attempts small talk with her sister and pals but things become tense quickly. 
> 
> Nicole shows Waverly something beautiful.

There was silence after Jeremy offered Waverly some of the pasta, which she declined because of her veganism, and chose to munch on some old carrots from the fridge instead. Wynonna, too, stopped eating, unable to keep her eyes off of her younger sister after not seeing her for years. The others didn’t know what to say; Wynonna wasn’t one to talk much about her past and none of them really knew what happened between the Earp sisters a decade ago. 

“You said that you graduated college,” Nicole began, trying to break the ice and get to know the sister of her best friend. “What did you study?” 

Waverly smiled at the redhead, appreciating the attempt to converse, and answered, “Linguistics and history. I have a fellowship at Boston University, which is awesome sauce. It starts in a few weeks, which is good since I have time to learn the way of the city.” 

“We’re a long way from the small town we grew up in,” Wynonna commented, not trying to sound dour, though it came out that way. 

Nicole noticed the younger girl’s face falter at Wynonna’s words and she told her, “I can take you around the city. Maybe you can even be my partner in crime for a few weeks. I’m a P.I.” 

Waverly’s eyes widened with awe. “Holy crap, that’s cool! You’re like a fun cop!” 

The redhead chuckled and blushed. “Thank you, Waverly. I was a cop for a little while, but I thought I would be a better boss for myself. But if you’re looking for a cool job that pays better, you should look at your own sister. She’s a bounty hunter. Who helps me out on the side.” 

The younger brunette turned to look at her sister who shrugged humbly. Waverly didn’t know what she was expecting her sister to be doing. She remembered her sister sucking at school (barely even attending class) before she dropped out, but she always imagined her finding her footing. And she did, she guessed. Even if Wynonna was living in an abandoned hospital that made her want to run to a hotel. 

“At the end of the day, it pays the bills. Which is what matters. And it’s better than most gigs I’ve had.” 

Wynonna was referring to the stripping, washing dishes at McDonalds, and bartending at the bar where she had met Doc Holliday. She wouldn’t tell her sister any of this, of course. 

“What do you guys do?” Waverly asked the other adults who just sat there with their heads down, slurping pasta that Jeremy had made, trying to pretend like they weren’t there. 

“I’m a vet,” Jeremy told her with a small smile. “And Purgatory’s chef.  _ Unpaid  _ chef. Most of the time it’s just simple stuff, though. The others would starve if I didn’t make them food.” 

Nicole nodded and said, “We’re very grateful. One time your sister and I tried to make some stir fry and we ended up starting a fire.” She smiled at the brunette, trying to cheer her up with a funny story, that only made Waverly sad. She wished she had experienced the memory herself. 

“That I put out,” Dolls finished as he crossed his arms. “My housemates aren’t too good at common sense, younger Earp. And they’re lucky they have me. I’m the only reason why Lucado hasn’t kicked us out yet.” 

“She sounds mean.” 

Wynonna smirked. “All landlords are mean. But this place is cheap, so it’s worth it. But don’t ask Dolls what he does. He won’t answer. He’s a spy, baby girl. Even though he won’t admit it to us.” 

Waverly gaped at her sister and Wynonna flinched. She didn’t mean to say the old nickname. That was a mistake. 

Noticing the tense air, Dolls said, “Earp’s paranoid. She’s even tried to follow me around. Some people just like to be private.” 

Wynonna rolled her eyes and argued, “There’s being private and there’s being  _ your  _ crazy pants version of private. If anyone is paranoid around here, it’s you, buddy.” 

“No,” Doc disagreed with a shake of his head. “The fella that’s the utmost paranoid in this establishment is Bobo Del Rey. Recluse and untempered.” 

Waverly furrowed her eyebrows. “Who’s Bobo Del Rey?” 

Jeremy lowered his voice and answered, “He’s a guy who lives in this locked room on this floor. None of us have seen him in a few weeks. We’ve heard him, though. We suspect he gets out in the night. Some of us have theorized that he’s a vampire.” 

“That’s just you, Jeremy,” Wynonna stated flatly. “You don’t have to worry about him. He’s crazy, but he’s not a violent crazy. He’s convinced he’s telekinetic and says that he’s immortal or some shit. Told me once that I’m the Heir, whatever the fuck that means. But other than that and the occasional chomping at nothing, he’s harmless.” 

Waverly didn’t seem that convinced. She wasn’t used to this kind of city living where living with crazy people was normal and something that you could just shrug off. Sure, there were crazy frats at her college, but those were guys she could handle (and even date).

To change the subject, she asked the man with a cowboy hat, “What is it that you do?” 

“I’m a local barkeep. Which is coincidentally where I met your sister.” He tipped his hat at the older brunette with a smile. 

Wynonna frowned and reassured her sister, “I was working there. Not drinking. At least, not at that time. But he was the one to tell me about this place.” 

“Oh,” Waverly said, surprised. “How long have you guys been together?” 

The older Earp sibling coughed up the alcohol she was drinking and turned to look at the southern man with apprehension. Waverly couldn’t have been more off. Well, she wasn’t  _ completely  _ off. They had a very tumultuous on-and-off friends-with-benefits situation, but they were never in a relationship. And they were definitely off at the moment. 

“We are  _ not  _ together, Waves. I don’t do relationships. And before you ask, none of us are in any relationships. We all considered one big poly thing, but we quit it after a month of orgies that got out of hand.” 

Nicole went red and immediately told Waverly, “She’s kidding. None of us have ever dated.” 

“I have tried to get Haught in my pants, though,” Wynonna pointed out to her sister, trying to embarrass the redhead. “The poor girl wants something more, though. To be fair, Dolls could be married for all that we know. He might be going home to his family when he sneaks off.” 

The man rolled his eyes and said, “Don’t be ridiculous, Earp. I don’t have a secret family. That wouldn’t make any sense.” 

“Yeah, Wynonna,” Jeremy agreed with a smile and without thinking added, “you’re the one with a secret family. You never talk about…” He stopped talking once he saw the anger and sadness in both of the Earp sisters’ eyes and blushed with shame. “I’m going to just shut up now. Yep.” 

“It’s okay, Jeremy,” Waverly told him honestly, staring intensely at her older sister. “I’m not surprised. Wynonna tends to keep secrets. Especially about family.” When Wynonna opened her mouth to argue, Waverly said, “I’m really tired from travel. Is there a way I can go to sleep now?” 

Wynonna closed her mouth and nodded, not wanting to get into an argument with her sister. She realized that Waverly was angry and bitter about how she left things, but she didn’t want to explain herself. Not tonight. Not in front of all of these people. 

Silently, Wynonna led the younger girl to the empty ‘bedroom’ closest to her own. She showed her where the bathroom and showers were and respected Waverly’s decision to close the door and be left alone. Sometimes silence was the easiest option. 

* * *

“She’s pissed at me,” Wynonna announced to her housemates as they all sat either on the dingy couch or the folded chairs drinking a wide variety of alcohol. “I can’t blame her, but I don’t know what she wants from me.” 

“Maybe she just needs her sister,” Nicole pondered out loud with uncertainty. She hated seeing her friend so confused and hurt, but she also understood that the younger girl must have a reason for being there. “Just let her come to you and see what happens.” 

Wynonna sighed and nodded, listening to the redhead. Nicole was used to the brunette going against her suggestions, but at least Wynonna tended to listen to them. The two of them didn’t always get along, but there was immeasurable respect between them. 

“Thank you for being my free therapist, Haught-nuts,” Wynonna told her honestly, but with a joking tint to make it sound as if it was a joke. 

Nicole rolled her eyes and retorted, “Well, seeing as I  _ do  _ feel like I pay for our relationship and that you  _ do  _ have an  _ actual  _ therapist that you pay, I’ve got a feeling that doesn’t mean too much. I just give good advice.” 

Wynonna rolled her eyes this time and glared at her friend. She had told Nicole about the therapy a few months ago when she was drunk. There was a certain amount of shame that lingered in the brunette’s system when referring to her therapy and problems with mental health. The others were slightly aware of her weekly appointments, but she didn’t like to talk about it. 

“I think she seemed very nice,” Jeremy mentioned to Wynonna to change the subject. “Were you two close growing up?” 

The bounty hunter sighed, not really wanting to answer a question so personal, so fresh, so raw. Her childhood was still an open wound, despite it having happened a decade and a whole life ago. Memories were always hard for Wynonna to let go, no matter how much she tried to. 

“Very, I think. Until I left her when I was seventeen. But sometimes you have to do horrible things to survive.” 

Wynonna got up from the couch and walked away to her bedroom, her sanctuary. She already felt like she revealed too much. Her therapist said that she kept too much in, but that didn’t worry her. Keeping things in kept her safe. Having secrets and an escape plan at all times was a version of life that she lived by. After all, it was the truth that almost killed her. 

* * *

It wasn’t much of a surprise that Waverly couldn’t fall asleep. Not only was she in a strange location around strangers, she couldn’t stop thinking about her sister. She knew that Wynonna left her when she was twelve, but she couldn’t for the life of her remember  _ why.  _

Small town life wasn’t for everyone; she heard many stories of kids who ran away to get out of the smothering environment, but those kids had it rough. They grew up on the wrong side of the tracks or found drugs or had abusive families. That wasn’t the case, here. She remembered a good childhood. Sure, it had its holes of blankness (she was a child after all) but she knew that she had a family who loved her. Gus and Curtis took her and her sister in when their dad had passed (after their mother had left) and everything seemed normal. Wynonna seemed like an outcast, but she didn’t seem sad around Waverly. There were no warning signs, no red flags. Nothing but disappeared suitcases and an aunt and uncle who refused to talk about her ever again. 

She had too many unanswered questions, ones that she guessed at this point were things that her sister didn’t want to answer. Wynonna wasn’t as inviting as Waverly would have thought she would be. At least, she was hoping for a hug and an apology. But it didn’t seem like she would get either. 

The honks and city life outside made her toss and turn in her sheets on the thing she could barely consider a mattress. Some would consider Waverly Earp’s life before sheltered. She always had a warm bed at night and three meals a day. She was loved by her town, family, and friends. Choosing Boston surprised everyone, but she needed this. She hadn’t ever gotten out of her comfort zone and she thought the best way possible was through her sister. But now, at 3:00 in the morning, it all felt like a mistake. 

She stood up with an exasperated groan and headed for the door. There was no way she’d fall asleep like this. The hospital had so many hallways that she hadn’t even seen before. She chose to go down one, just to explore, when she passed a room with a light on. Hoping that it wasn’t the crazy guy that she was going to find, she opened the door to find the redhead on a treadmill. 

The door banged loudly when it closed and Nicole turned around immediately, startled by the sound. Expecting someone like Wynonna, she was surprised to find the other Earp. Wearing only a sports bra and booty shorts, she covered her midriff with her arms and blushed. 

“Oh, jeez, I’m so sorry,” Waverly apologized quickly and put her hand back on the door. “I didn’t mean to interrupt you. I was just… looking around.” 

Nicole clumsily stepped off the treadmill, with sweat falling off her body, and quickly told the brunette, “No, stay. Don’t worry about it. I don’t normally get company like this so early in the morning. Unless Wynonna’s been drinking... which I should not have just said.” 

Waverly ignored the comment about her sister’s apparent alcoholism and smiled at the kind redhead. “Do you get up this early every morning?” 

“Most of the time, the people my clients are paying for me to look into are doing their dirty deeds at this time. Criminals are awake when everyone else is sleeping. And I like the night. It’s calming.” 

The younger brunette snorted and said, “Calming? Are you talking about the honking and shouting and the odd sound of oncoming trains?” 

Nicole smirked and said, “You get used to it. I’ve lived in the city my whole life. It can really be quite beautiful. Come on, follow me.” 

The redhead offered her hand to the younger brunette who stared at it with apprehension. She didn’t know what the girl was going to show her, but she gave her own hand anyway. Waverly felt like she could trust Nicole without even knowing her. It was the redhead’s presence that Waverly felt comfortable around. Like they had known each other forever. 

Not letting Waverly go, Nicole led her through the hospital and up the three flights of stairs. They kept going up until they got to the top, the roof. Nicole flashed the brunette the warmest of smiles before opening the door to the fresh and brisk air. 

Waverly gasped and looked at the sky with awe. She only saw stars like this in her hometown and never expected to find them in the city. She felt like she was home up here, with this stranger that made her feel… different. 

Nicole watched as the girl’s eyes lit up and she felt her body surge with complete and utter happiness.  The stars in the sky seemed like a whole other world, Nicole's world, and showing someone like that felt intimate. She thought the sky was beautiful, but nothing quite compared to the reflection of the sky in Waverly's kind eyes. Her heart started racing like it hadn’t in a long time. Not since Shae.

“It’s not like this every night,” She informed the wide-eyed brunette as she held her hand tighter, never wanting to let go. “Most of the time the lights or clouds prevent the stars to be seen. Most of the time it's all just dark. But for some reason, I knew they’d be out tonight.” 

The stress seemed to dissipate Waverly's body as she looked up at the sky. Even in the cold air, she felt warmth, protection. She couldn’t explain the connection she had to the mysterious redhead, but it was strong. Passionate. Something she had never felt before. Not like this. 

Staring at the stars and holding Nicole’s hand felt like a fresh start. She felt ready. Like she could conquer the world. 

"Maybe," Waverly suggested as she turned to look at the redhead for the first time since they had gone outside, "you knew somehow that together we bring out the light." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please review or come talk to me on tumblr @haught-n-cold-gay or twitter @chaoticpeacemkr


	3. The One Where Wynonna Evades Questions From Her Therapist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Wynonna talks with her therapist, Nicole and Waverly take a walk around the city.

Wynonna placed her flask inside of her jacket but then took it out and placed it onto the shelf. She didn’t think it would be right to bring it to her therapist’s office. She got enough grief about drinking already. Doc was snoring in the sheets and the brunette groaned. She kept forgetting to end it with him. For good. 

She found Nicole in a baggy tank top and sweatpants when she headed for a quick bite. The redhead had already buttered her toast and Wynonna gave her a kiss on the cheek appreciatively. They rarely actually talked about her therapy sessions, but Nicole was always there for her to offer her support. 

“I won’t be back until 11:00,” The brunette announced and bit into the toast. “I think my sis wakes up early. Will you show her around the neighborhood before we all meet up? I've been thinking about what we can do and I was thinking that we go to the zoo. She loved animals when she was younger. She never got to see anything exotic but... anyway. Can you look after her?” 

At the mention of the younger sibling, Nicole held back her blushing and nodded. “I got her, Earp.” 

“Thanks, Haught-stuff. Just please don’t talk about the therapy and shit. I don’t want her to worry or whatever.” 

Nicole didn’t understand why Wynonna was so touchy and secretive about the subject, but she agreed anyway. There were things she would never understand about the brunette. That was just how it was. 

“Thanks, babester,” Wynonna said before blowing a kiss and leaving the building. 

* * *

It always startled Wynonna how severely cold it was in the building. It held many offices that covered several different areas, but she still hated walking inside, even if it was nothing like her actual doctor’s office. 

The receptionist knew Wynonna well enough to just point to the door when she entered. She took a deep breath and opened the door. 

Dr. Marmaud was sitting at her desk with her head basically stuffed into files. It was a familiar sight that Wynonna was used to. Dr. Marmaud (who she either called ‘doctor’ or ‘Dr. Joey’) had multiple patients and was dedicated to every single one of them. Wynonna made jokes that she needed to see someone about her own workaholism. Dr. Joey laughed and told her that she was deflecting. 

She finally looked up and smiled brightly. “Wynonna! Sit, sit.” 

Wynonna took her seat, picked a piece of candy out of the bowl on the table in front of her, popped it into her mouth, and laid back on the couch. She was used to this, even if she wasn’t totally comfortable and felt vulnerable. 

“How are you feeling today?” Dr. Joey asked as she moved to her chair across from the couch with a pen and notepad ready to write in. 

The patient wasn’t wanting to talk. Especially not about the real thing that had her on edge: her sister. 

“I’m fine,” Wynonna declared with fake sincerity. “Good, Doctor. Really.” 

“Hmmm…” the doctor replied, not believing her patient for a second. “That’s good, Wynonna. How’s Nicole?”

Wynonna groaned and started to brush her hands through her hair. “Nicole’s fine! She's always fine. Why do you always ask?”

“Because she’s your best friend. She’s the most stable person in your life and the closest thing you have to family. You love her and she’s important to you. Which is why the answer is important to me.” 

Wynonna questioned the things that her therapist asked most of the time. Dr. Joey normally answered truthfully, knowing that honesty was something that Wynonna respected and appreciated. 

“I’m not in love with her,” Wynonna whispered and rolled to her side so that she could look at her therapist. 

Dr. Joey smiled at her briefly and responded, “I know. I never said that you are. Just like I know you aren’t in love with Doc Holliday, though you suspect he’s in love with you.” 

Wynonna snorted, “I never said that.” 

“You didn’t have to. You become very defensive when I bring up the idea of love. Do you believe you’re capable of it?” 

The brunette sighed, “I avoid it,” and turned to look up at the ceiling again. That way she didn't feel judged when she answered questions. 

“Why?” 

“Because it’s easier. Love makes things complicated. Messy.”

“Even if it’s purely platonic?” 

Wynonna nodded. “At least sex keeps people around. Friendship... friendships are fleeting.”

“Do you think Nicole will leave you?” 

“For her sake, I hope so,” Wynonna answered gloomily before adding, “she deserves better than me.” 

“Why? Because you’re mentally ill?” 

Wynonna flinched at that phrase and replied, “Because I’m a bad friend.”

“Have you ever considered that she thinks your a good friend and wants to stand by you, despite your antics to push her away?” 

Wynonna hated it when Dr. Joey made sense or pointed out when she didn’t make any. 

“My sister’s back in town,” the brunette revealed to change the subject, causing her therapist to raise her eyebrows in surprise. “She’s moving to Boston. And staying in Purgatory for the time being.” 

“You haven’t seen Waverly in years,” Dr. Joey commented with curiosity. “How does it feel to see her again?” 

“I missed her,” Wynonna confessed honestly with hot tears in her eyes. “But I am overwhelmed. I don’t know what to do with her. I don’t know who she is anymore and she doesn’t know who I am. I don’t know what she wants from me.” 

“She probably just wants to know her big sister that she loved as a kid. You always made sure she saw the best of you. She probably doesn’t know everything. And knowing your aunt and uncle, I’m sure they didn’t say anything.” 

Wynonna didn’t mean to leave her sister with so much confusion and too many questions. But it was easier for her to leave and not have to explain. 

“I don’t want her to know what happened. Or… or for her to get to know me again. Hell, I don’t want to bond with her and become attached. It’s too hard.” 

Dr. Joey sighed and mentioned, “Out of all the bad that happened to you when you were younger, Waverly was the only good in it. You thought you had to protect her from the bad, including yourself. But she’s older now. She wants to understand.” 

“ _ I’m  _ not ready, though,” Wynonna admitted and leaned up on the couch. “I’m not ready to tell her why the couple who raised her won’t talk about me. I’m not ready to tell her about what happened to my dad and sister. I’m not ready to tell her why I couldn't finish school or why I got so addicted to every alcohol or drug I came across. I’m not ready to tell her that I’m in therapy and don’t take the meds I really need because I can’t give up alcohol. I’m not ready to tell her why I abandoned her all those years ago.” 

Dr. Joey stared at her patient with slight frustration, even though it was still professional. 

“You don’t have to be ready,” the therapist told her. “Take your time, Wynonna. Get to know her. Maybe she can be a good thing in your life again. Maybe you’ll realize you won’t ruin her life.” 

Wynonna doubted that, but she continued to nod before leaning back down and began telling her therapist about the men she had just hunted down for the police.

* * *

Waverly woke up with a smile on her face. It all returned to her in flashes; the stars in the dark sky and the girl that made her feel at home. She remembered the redhead bringing her back to her room and saying goodnight. She recalled the feeling of bliss and pleasant hum in her mind with her hand in Nicole’s. She remembered not wanting to let go but being unable to voice that strange desire; they had only just met. She didn’t want to seem needy. 

She checked her phone, replied to all the worried texts from her aunt and uncle, and looked at her social media accounts. After posting a picture from her view on the plane, her friends had commented on how crazy she was for moving so far away. She didn’t think it was crazy. Her friends were always judgemental like that, without them even trying to be. 

The twenty-two-year-old ignored the DM from Champ. He continuously tried to contact her after she ended the engagement. He still wasn’t satisfied with ‘it doesn’t feel right’ as the reason for her not wanting to be with him anymore. She wasn’t  _ lying _ . But there were definitely other reasons why he wasn’t it for her. Champ was immature and unsympathetic toward people. He also wasn’t the sharpest tool in the toolbox. And worst of all, he wasn’t understanding of Waverly’s bisexuality. 

It felt freeing after she left him. Her aunt and uncle questioned her decision, which normally would have scared her off, but she was sure about it. Waverly believed in true and unconditional love. Champ Hardy just wasn’t that. 

Her guardians questioned her sanity when she told them that she was moving to Boston. She chose to not include the whole part about Wynonna being there, but she knew that she’d have to be honest about the whole thing eventually. Especially if they came to visit her at some point. 

She turned off her social media notifications and headed out of her room. By now, she realized she should have expected the disappointment, but she didn’t. She thought that her sister would be there to greet her, to show her around the city, to at least spend time with her, but nada. 

“Hey, Waverly,” Nicole called out cheerfully as she cut up fruit for two bowls. “Jeremy is already at work, Dolls is wherever he is, and Doc’s still asleep. It’s just us two.” 

“What’s my sister up to?” Waverly asked as she sat down at the card table and put her hair into a bun. 

“Oh, uh…” Nicole didn’t like to lie. Especially not to someone that seemed so kind and compassionate. “She’ll be back in a few hours. But, she did tell me to take you out around the neighborhood. So we can still have fun until she joins us!” 

Waverly smiled appreciatively, glad that she could hang out with the redhead, but bummed that her sister didn’t want to be around her. 

Nicole noticed that the brunette was still upset, so she passed the girl the bowl of fruit where the blueberries were specifically placed to look like a smiley face. It made the younger girl smile, making the redhead feel better. 

“Thanks, Nicole. You’ve been really sweet. It really helps.” 

The redhead nodded and sat down across from her with excitement. After last night, she was already itching to talk to the new girl. 

“So, you’ve  _ never  _ been to Boston before?” She asked the brunette gently, trying to learn more about the girl who also loves the stars. 

Waverly snickered, “I’ve never even been to the East Coast until now. I went to college twenty minutes away from my home town. When I was younger, I never thought that I would leave.” 

Nicole found that genuinely interesting. Other than Wynonna, she hadn’t met many city folks who didn’t come from a city. City life wasn’t for everyone, but Nicole loved it. She liked the hustle, the brash and abrasiveness, and she especially loved the constant noise. She didn’t feel as lonely when she could hear neighbors shouting, dogs howling, and the humming of passing vehicles. 

“Then why did you leave?” She asked her. “If you liked it so much, why didn’t you stay?” 

Waverly didn’t have a clear answer for her that didn’t make her sound crazy. Sure, a lot of it had to do with Wynonna, but most of the decision was made on a whim. She hadn’t actually given it too much thought before she packed her bags and announced her departure. 

“I’m not so sure, Detective,” Waverly joked with a torn smile. “I guess I left because everyone expected me to stay.”

A smile grew from Nicole’s lips as an idea came to Nicole’s head. “C’mon, Waverly Earp. Let me take you to an actually vegan place to eat. It’s just a few blocks away.” 

Waverly looked at her with awe and asked, “There are vegan  _ restaurants _ ?” 

Nicole laughed and replied, “I’m guessing your town didn’t have any of those?” At Waverly’s shake of her head, Nicole grinned and stood up. She offered her hand and asked, “Shall we?” 

A flush burned on Waverly’s cheeks as she took the private investigator’s hand and said, “Let’s go, darling.”

* * *

The busy streets were swarmed with people and Waverly was impressed by Nicole’s ability to walk through masses of people swiftly as she spoke about each building they passed  _ and  _ ate vegan muffins. She was certainly a pro. 

“You’re kidding me. Another Dunkin’ Donuts?” Waverly asked as they passed the sixth one on their journey. 

Nicole snorted, “Get used to that. They’re practically two every block. Some T stations even have one. Or more.” 

Trying not to mention how odd that was to her, she asked, “What’s the ‘T’?” 

“It’s the public transportation. Kinda like a subway that’s also above ground. I’m sure you must have seen those on TV.” 

“Hey!” Waverly shouted and pushed her friend playfully as the redhead made fun of her. “I know what a subway is! I’ve just never… ridden one.” 

“We’ll teach you,” Nicole reassured her sweetly. “You’ll get the hang of it quickly. You kind of have to. Unless you can walk it, it’s how you get places.” 

Waverly furrowed her eyebrows. “What about cars?”

Nicole tried to hide her amusement. “There’s no affording cars in the city. Not only are cars expensive, parking lots ain’t cheap. You can’t park for a day and pay less than thirty bucks. So if we’re in a car, it’s an Uber,  _ and  _ we’re probably massively drunk or late for something.” 

Waverly chuckled and replied, “Crazy. It’s like a whole other world here.” 

The redhead shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’m sure your hometown would freak me out too. Just from what your sister has revealed, I know I'd stick out like a sore thumb.” 

“Why?”

“Because I’m a lesbian P.I. who’d kill to have Obama for four more years.” 

Waverly attempted to not squeal at the ‘l’ world and countered, “It’s not  _ that  _ bad. Sure, there are racist, homophobic, sexist twats, but they’re everywhere.” 

“You gotta point there, babe,” Nicole gave in as her phone started buzzing and she raced to turn it off. 

“What was that?”

“Oh, just a reminder for me to pick Earp up from her…” She stopped talking and cursed in her head. She almost ruined everything. As casually as she could, she added the word, “Appointment.” 

Waverly could tell that Nicole wasn’t telling her the full truth. “So, do we have to go meet--"

“No!” Nicole interrupted and stopped at a corner so that she could face the brunette. “We normally hang out after her… appointment… but this time we are all going to meet somewhere else. Which, is where we are heading right now.” 

Waverly sighed and said, “I gather she told you not to tell me about this ‘appointment,’ huh?”

Nicole gulped nervously, afraid that this situation was going to come between her and her new friend, and admitted, “Your sister loves you. She just likes to stay private about certain things. I think she’s under the impression that it’s bad for people to get to know her.” 

Waverly frowned at that, not knowing whether that made her sad or angry, and asked, “Do you think she left my hometown because I _knew_ her?” 

Nicole felt her body shake as she tried to walk faster to calm herself down. She never wanted to be in this awkward situation. She felt bad for Waverly, but she was loyal to her best friend. 

“I really don’t know, Waverly. What I am sure of, though, is that she was never more excited than when she spoke to you on the phone for birthdays and Christmas.”

Waverly wanted to ask ' _ well then why didn’t she call more?'  _ but then thought against it. She realized how uncomfortable the redhead seemed and felt guilty. She should have been asking those questions to Wynonna rather than the girl who really did seem to want to get to know her. Waverly didn't want to fuck up something that already seemed so good and natural with Nicole. 

“I’m sorry, Nicole. I don’t mean to interrogate you. It’s just that… well… I’ve lived without answers for almost half of my life and I--" 

“I understand,” Nicole reassured her quickly as they approached their destination. Wishing she had answers about her own past, she could genuinely say that honestly. “I’m just glad you’re here. And, speaking of here, we made it. Franklin Park Zoo. Wynonna picked it out. She said she remembered how much you love animals.” 

Tears bubbled up in Waverly’s eyes, surprised that Wynonna would remember that, and she replied, “That I do.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I'd love to know what you guys think! 
> 
> OR come talk to me on tumblr @haught-n-cold-gay or twitter @chaoticpeacemkr


	4. The One Where Waverly Sees the Penguins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The zoo.

“Sorry I couldn’t be there when you woke up, kid,” Wynonna apologized to her sister as she led the two of them to a gate on the side of the zoo. “I had some shit to do, you know? But I’m here now. Please tell me you still like animals.” 

Waverly didn’t know what to say about that. She knew that her sister was hiding something but she didn’t know how to ask. 

“I do, Wynonna. But where… where the heck are we going?” 

Wynonna smirked and admitted, “Sometimes you have to break a few rules when you don’t have the money to follow them.” 

Waverly didn’t understand what her sister meant by that. 

She looked at Nicole, not imagining that the redhead would be too fond of what her sister had just declared. Nicole was a cop, even if she wasn’t one anymore, and Waverly figured she was still consumed with morals. But when she looked at the redhead, she was surprised to find her unbothered. 

Nicole shrugged and said, “It's something that you just have to get used to. As much as I hate it, there are sometimes different rules you must live by.” 

“Connections, baby girl. Those are the most important things you can get in the city. For example…” She waved to her friend who was behind the gate with a smirk. 

“How am I not surprised, Wynonna Earp?” The person in a zoo uniform joked as they opened the door and then crossed their arms, showing off their numerous tattoos that Waverly couldn’t help but stare at. “Bringing two chicks to this fine establishment. If I didn’t know you better, I would call you a player. Oh, wait. I do know you. And you are a player.” 

Wynonna flipped her the bird and grinned. “She’s my sister, pervert. And the redhead won’t let me into her bed.” 

The three of them walked past the gate and Waverly thanked them profusely. 

The tattooed friend turned to Wynonna and asked, “You sure you guys are related?” 

"Shut it, Dex. She might have better manners than me, but we still got the same blood.” 

Waverly tried to not read into those words. It shouldn’t have felt like a big deal that Wynonna spoke about their relation (they have the same goddamn last names) but something in her heart felt fuller. 

Dex put their hands up in surrender and exclaimed, “Alright, alright! Jeez. I can understand why the redhead doesn’t wanna fuck you. Don’t look at me like that, redhead. I’ll see you later, K.O.? People will start to notice I’m gone.” 

Wynonna nodded and told them, “I really do appreciate it. Say hello to Felix for me.” 

“He’d be happy to hear you’re doing good. We still owe you. Big.” 

The brunette shook her head and started to walk off. She lived by the rule that no one needed to owe her anything. Wynonna was in the business of exchanging favors. It was how she had gotten this far. 

“I’m still enjoying that tidbit about me not sleeping with you that you tell _ everyone _,” Nicole muttered to her friend sarcastically. 

Wynonna chuckled and explained, “I’m glad. I’m sorry, though, Haught. You really… aren’t my type. But if I’m hammered…” 

“Fuck you,” Nicole fired back and shoved her. 

She then turned around and noticed Waverly staring and looking a little stunned. Wynonna tended to bring out the private investigator's… more questionable qualities. She blushed and tried to say ‘this isn’t me’ with her eyes, even though it was a kind of lie. This was her, or a part of her. One that she didn’t like to show many people other than Wynonna, though. Especially not a girl like Waverly. 

Waverly smiled and shook her head. She didn’t mind the cursing one bit. Her old best friend, Stephanie, barely said a sentence without the word ‘bitch’. She was just surprised to see how laid back the two were together and tried to not be hurt by the fact they acted more like siblings. 

“So,” The youngest woman began to change the subject as they walked toward the amphibian house. “Is she an ex of yours?” 

Wynonna snorted, “Hell no. Not even in the slightest. When I mean ‘connections’, I don’t mean sex, baby girl. If I did, Haught-fry wouldn’t be connected to anybody.” 

Nicole glared at her but didn’t correct her either. 

Waverly motioned with her hands for her sister to continue her explanation. 

Wynonna groaned with reluctance but finally admitted, “I helped _ them _with a little pro bono work. My job is to find people and sometimes people come to me for help. I found their brother. Boom. Connection.” 

Waverly stopped walking, unable to do anything but gape at her sister and try to figure out how she didn’t know this about her. 

“You’re a _ hero _.” 

“No,” Wynonna countered immediately. “It’s a job. It boosts my reputation. That’s all.” 

Waverly knew that it wasn’t ‘all' to boost her rep, but started to walk again. Though, when she looked at the different species of amphibians, she wondered how a lost runaway became a person who found the missing.

* * *

Nicole tried to hide her smile as she watched Waverly gush over the penguins. In the sun, Nicole could swear there was a halo around her best friend’s sister. And then subsequently, she felt silly thinking it. She barely knew the brunette and already thought she was her angel. She had to tell herself to calm down and shake that thought out of her head. 

“When I was younger,” Waverly told the redhead as they leaned over the bar so they could see the penguins swimming, “I used to name all the animals I saw at the zoo. I’ve only been to one before now. Do you remember that, Wynonna?” 

The older brunette sighed and looked away. She _ did _remember that. She remembered their mom taking her daughters to a zoo hours away and having the most fun she could remember. She remembered holding Waverly’s hand and Willa being on the other side of her little sister. They were the three musketeers, swinging their hands as they ran up to look at every single animal that they had only heard about in books. Unfortunately, more than anything, she remembered her mother leaving the next day. She remembered that trip being a goodbye, an emotional manipulation that made her last memory of her mom being a happy one. 

“I remember you being a dork and roared in front of the lion in hope it’d roar back,” Wynonna finally answered, far away. “You were four and I think you thought it was the best day of your life. I can’t believe that you remember it.” 

Waverly hopped off the step and led them to the next animal as she explained, “I still think it was the best day of my life.” 

Wynonna bit her lip and tried to not mention how depressing that sounded. Though, she wasn’t too surprised. After mama left, everything else just got worse. She would have just hoped that she had better memories after Wynonna left. 

“My parents would have never taken me to the zoo,” Nicole told them, trying to ease some of the obvious tension between the sisters. “They would have said something about it being a government lie to make us believe that animals were happy.” 

Waverly stared at the redhead with sadness. As much as she was torn about the morality of having zoos, she could have imagined how hard it must have been to not experience a zoo with a family. 

“Please tell me this isn’t the first time you’ve been to a zoo,” Wynonna muttered with a raised eyebrow, knowing how odd her friend’s childhood was. 

“It isn’t,” Nicole reassured her. “Luckily my parents let be go on school field trips. And I went when I was older.” 

Wynonna gasped at the sudden realization and asked, “Wasn’t Shae a zoologist?” 

The redhead glared at her, upset she would have brought her up of all people (in front of Waverly, especially), and said frustratedly, “Yep. Have _ you _been to the zoo in recent years?” 

The older brunette shrugged and answered, “Probably. Not in Boston, though. I think that I screwed someone in a zoo bathroom once. Don’t look at me like that, baby girl. We all have stories like that.” 

Waverly shook her head and said, “I don’t.” 

“Oh, right!” Wynonna replied as she remembered the jerk her sister was dating. “Champ Hardy! Wait… weren’t you two… engaged? I even swear I got an invite--” 

“I broke it off,” Waverly interrupted and tried to see Nicole’s reaction (and was happy to see the relief in her face). “I probably should have told you that. It would have been embarrassing if you showed up to a wedding that wasn’t going to happen.” 

Wynonna snickered, “It would have been a good prank. I gotta say, Waves. I’m happy for you. He did not deserve you. He was a dick.” 

“Yeah,” Waverly agreed solemnly, thinking '_ you don’t even know the half of it' _, and added, “We were kids who thought we were going to last forever. And you know the kind of options in our town. Champ seemed… inevitable.” 

“Well then, I’m glad you’re here,” Wynonna told her without thinking. “Maybe you can finally meet someone as special as you. And I’m going to go hit the ladies room and see if there are any ladies to hit on.” 

Nicole rolled her eyes and watched her go with judgment as Waverly stared with her jaw dropped. Ignoring the crude comment, Wynonna said that she was glad she was here. It might have been the best thing she heard since she got here. 

“Did you hear that?” 

“Your sister being a casanova? Oh, yeah, I heard--” 

“No, not that. Gross. I mean when she said that she was glad I’m here. Do you think it was just a slip of the tongue or…” She could barely say it out loud. She didn’t want to say it and end up not being true. 

“Oh,” Nicole breathed out and watched as the brunette tried to deal with her sudden surge of hope. “I’m sure she loves having you around. I know I do.” She regretted saying it the second the words fell out of her mouth. 

Waverly tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled at the redhead. Despite all the weirdness with her sister, she found someone who wanted to be around her with open arms. It was comforting and gentle; there was nothing forced about their found connection. 

“I’m glad, Nicole. I feel the same way. I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here.” 

Nicole felt her heartbeat slow down, less worried about her awkward confessions. She wasn’t normally like this. It was rare for her to feel so out of her element and vulnerable. After Shae, she didn’t think she would ever be like this again. With her heart on her sleeve and her mouth barely in contact with her brain. 

“Well, I am much cooler than the rest of our housemates.” 

Waverly laughed and agreed with her, even though she didn’t know the other housemates at all. She asked about them, anyway. Still intrigued by the whole living situation that she had never heard of before. 

They were deep into a story about having one _ very _competitive poker party which ended with the whole group not on speaking terms for two weeks. Nicole explained how they never played poker again and haven't talked about it since that day. The brunette could not stop laughing. 

“What the hell could Haught-shit have said that made you laughing like that, Waves?” Wynonna asked as she joined up with them again with a confused expression. 

Waverly tried to tell her sister but couldn’t get the words out due to the continuous laughter. Wynonna glared at her jokingly and walked away. She didn’t say anything about how she felt seeing Waverly look so happy. 

* * *

They spent hours there, just looking at each animal and cracking jokes when they weren’t talking about Wynonna's recent conquests (as she calls it). They had a good time that wasn’t filled with forced small talk or questions about why the older brunette was living in the city (which Wynonna was more than happy about). 

“I’ll pay, Wynonna. _ Please, _” Waverly begged her older sister as she pointed to the cart. 

Wynonna sighed, having trouble not remembering a younger Waverly when everything was different. 

“How old are you, Waves?” 

Waverly glared at her and said, “Twenty-two. And you’re twenty-seven. And I didn’t see you for ten years.” 

“Aha! I was wondering when the guilt trip was going to come in,” Wynonna joked and tried to not think about it so seriously. Waverly stuck her lower lip out and pouted and her older sister gave in. “Fuck it. Let’s get the face paint. But only if Haught-nuts agrees to it too.” 

Waverly clasped her hands and turned to the redhead who was enjoying the scene immensely but pretended to do it reluctantly (she would have done it for Waverly no questions asked). 

The younger brunette paid the artist who stared at them with judgment and asked what they wanted. Waverly answered for them all, picking a unicorn for Nicole, a tiger for Wynonna, and a butterfly for herself. 

“You know,” Nicole muttered when she looked at herself in the mirror. “Call me crazy, but I don’t think unicorns are in zoos.” 

Waverly shrugged and stated, “Yeah, but like a unicorn, you’re magical. I thought it was a perfect fit.” 

“No need to compliment the girl,” Wynonna told her younger sister, not seeing what was really happening between them. “Though I do like your choices, baby girl. Rawr.” She put her hands up and pretended to paw at her sister. 

“Thanks, tiger. You guys ready to go?” 

The two women nodded and Wynonna said, “I know the exact place to go next. Next stop on the tour: Chinatown.” 

Waverly raised her eyebrows and asked her older sister, “Who do you know there?” 

Wynonna grinned proudly and turned to Nicole to tell her, “Our girl’s already starting to get it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please review so that I know what you all are thinking! Or talk to me on tumblr @haught-n-cold-gay or Twitter @chaoticpeacmkr


	5. The One Where Even Nicole Has Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What could go wrong in Chinatown?

Waverly hadn’t seen anything like it. She wasn’t unnecessarily uncultured, but the times she had left her home state were slim and even then she hadn't really been to a big city. It wasn’t like she was poor growing up (her guardians had stable jobs and she was solidly middle class) so she had no reason to take public transportation or participate in questionable actions because of the lack of money. 

“Okay, Waves. Here’s the dealio. The T costs money. But  _ we  _ don’t pay. Haughty, please show my sister what it is that we do.” 

The look of the underground tunnel distracted Waverly from whatever her sister was saying. She was looking at the walls and graffiti and the filth on the floor and barely noticed when the redhead ducked under the bars and ran with the people in the booths just watching her go by without any care in the world. 

Wynonna leaned over and whispered, “Red’s more of a rule-breaker than she looks. Okay, it’s your turn.” 

Waverly looked at her sister with awe and asked, “I’m sorry, what?” 

“Just run. Run, Forrest, run! Don’t look at those people. They can’t do anything to stop us. And they wouldn’t if they could. They don’t give a shit. We’ve been doing this for years.” She received a glare from her sister and added, “Fine. We’ll do it together. Come on!” 

Wynonna tugged her sister’s hand and they both ran under the bar and caught up with Nicole on a bench. 

“Do I have to do that ever again?” Waverly asked the two of them as they waited for the T to come. 

The brunette looked at the redhead and shrugged. “I guess that depends on the paycheck.” 

Waverly almost asked her sister how much money she earned through bounty hunting but decided to keep quiet and catch her breath before the train came and she quickly followed her tour guides onto it. As the doors closed and the announcements finished, Wynonna pushed her sister onto a seat while she and Nicole grabbed the ceiling bar. 

“Why can’t I--” She stopped talking when the T started to lunge backward and Waverly understood why they didn’t want her to be standing with them. 

“We’re getting off in four stops. A rule to follow, baby girl, is to not look at the other riders. Boston’s pretty chill, but it’s a city. Don’t trust anyone. Not even Haught.” 

Nicole glared at her friend and said, “Excuse me? I was a cop for chrissakes.” 

“A cop who mysteriously quit,” Wynonna pointed out with a grin. “Also, not all cops are good. I’d actually argue that most cops aren’t.” 

“I agree, Wynonna. But it’s  _ me _ . You ass.” 

“It’s okay, Nicole,” Waverly piped up to make sure their conversation didn’t escalate. “I already trust you.” 

Wynonna stared at her sister with horror. “No hope, baby girl. No hope. But I guess street smarts aren’t a genetic trait. It must be learned. We’ll get there someday.” 

Nicole rolled her eyes at the brunette’s dramatic antics and suggested, “All you have to do is watch the ten-minute clip from John Mulaney--” 

“I take what JJ Bittenbinder said to heart,” Waverly interrupted, understanding the reference immediately. “I always have a money clip with fifty dollars on me to toss at any intimidating persons on the street.” 

Wynonna looked back and forth between the two of them and sighed, “Goddammit there are two of them.” 

“Feel a little outnumbered, Earp?” Nicole asked her best friend with a raised eyebrow, attempting to be sly.

The bounty hunter stared at her, not impressed. “By nerds? Yessiree. I should have called Doc to come. He would have balanced us out.” 

“Doc barely comes out of his habitat,” Nicole commented and watched Wynonna’s reaction specifically. She thought that the brunette had feelings for the cowboy impersonator, even if she would never admit it. “Though, if you asked him to…” 

Waverly was trying to follow what they were talking about. She remembered the older guy with the almost comical mustache and southern accent, but she didn’t understand what Nicole was trying to insinuate. 

Wynonna glared at the redhead and refused to answer. She knew that she dragged on the Doc thing for far too long, but he was a comfort in her life. Someone that she could turn to for a warm bed. It was nice in some ways. But she knew that he wasn’t the one (if that even existed). 

“Here’s our stop,” Wynonna finally said as the intercom announced that the train was approaching their stop. 

Waverly followed her tour guides as they quickly maneuvered in between the people coming in and out of the doors and realized that it would be easy to get stuck behind a crowd of people. That was definitely something she’d have nightmares about. 

She was happy to see light again. Something about being underground in an unknown area was terrifying to her, though she’d never admit that to her big sister. She wanted nothing more than a car to ride around in at the moment.

The student looked around and was a little confused. She was expecting culture and architecture and all the things she thought would have made ‘Chinatown’, Chinatown. She was about to ask her sister and new friend when her question was immediately answered when they turned the block. It was like they stepped into a different world. 

“Cool, huh?” Nicole asked her gently as they walked along the sidewalk and looked inside every window for every restaurant or shop. 

Waverly almost jumped at the skinned duck in the window they walked by, but she remained fairly in awe by the scenery. 

“Very cool. Do you guys come here often?” 

Both Nicole and Wynonna shook their heads and the brunette answered, “It’s a little out of the way. You saw how annoying it was to go through the station without any money. There are plenty of things to do in walking distance.” 

Waverly now understood that completely. Though, she didn’t know if she could live this close to a place like this and not come all the time. Even if that meant breaking a few laws to get here. 

“Where are we heading to?” 

Wynonna looked behind at her sister for a second and then snorted. She was sure that Waverly was only introduced to Americanized Asian food. She wanted to bring her sister to the real deal. And she knew the exact place (and the right people). 

Nicole answered for her best friend, “It’s coming up in the next block. You’ll enjoy it.” 

Waverly nodded, trusting the redhead completely. She didn’t know what to expect, however. She had to say she was a little surprised when Wynonna turned abruptly and started going down a small flight of steps down into this small restaurant. 

The smells were exquisite, but it wasn’t the only thing that caught her by surprise. There were only a few tables, most of them filled up, but it was loud. They could hear playful shouting from the kitchen and excited chatter from those dining. It was a warm environment.

“Wynonna! Officer Haught!” A tall, slender man greeted as he approached them, a smile etched on his face as if he was happy to see both women, surprising Waverly. 

“What can a girl do to get a good meal around here?” Wynonna joked as she stuffed her hands into her pockets awkwardly, not wanting to hug the man that quickly embraced the redhead. 

He chuckled lightly and responded, “I’m glad you still have that sense of humor of yours. Come on. Let’s get you seated.” 

There was a table in the corner that he led the group to and grinned as he poured the water into individual glasses, seeming overly content to help in any way. 

“I’ll get you three some food. On the house, of course. I’ll be right back.” 

As he scurried off to the kitchen, Waverly leaned in and whispered, “So? What’s the story here?” 

Despite the happy ending, the story wasn’t one that the two women thought back to with fondness. For Wynonna, it was a race against time. For Nicole, it was when the foundation of her beliefs began to crumble. But they knew they couldn’t just leave her hanging. It would be too suspicious.

“Three years ago, Justin’s little brother, Eric, went missing. Police ignored the family, considered it a runaway since he was eleven, and refused to write a missing person's report. Justin found me and after about two days, I led the police to where Eric was being held. Sex trafficking ring. Haught was the responding officer. She saved the boy’s life.” 

Waverly gasped and Nicole waved her off like it wasn’t a big deal. 

“No one wouldn’t have found him if it wasn’t for Earp.” 

“So, that’s how you guys met?” 

Nicole and Wynonna shared a look of uncertainty. They might be in a strong place with their friendship now, but it wasn’t always like that. And bringing up those memories wouldn’t do any good. 

“Not exactly,” Nicole commented with a sigh. “We didn’t really get along when we met. But that was a long time ago.” 

Waverly looked back and forth between the two friends and understood that there was something much deeper there and that they didn’t want to discuss it. She realized this was becoming a theme. 

“It’s a boring story, Waves,” Wynonna tried to reassure.

Nicole felt her heart ache a little. She didn’t want to keep anything from the brunette, but she did have to admit, she didn’t want to talk about it either. She had changed a lot since then and didn’t want to think about who she was in the past.

“Besides, I think we want to hear about you,” Nicole told her, trying to be as kind as possible to make up for the secrets. 

Waverly blushed slightly and stated, “There’s not much to say. I’ve had a pretty normal life.” She didn’t notice the involuntary look on Wynonna’s face that read ‘you couldn’t be more wrong’. “I had two adults who cared and provided for me. I survived high school, graduated from college, and now I am going to grad school. Pretty basic.” 

“Pretty extraordinary,” Nicole argued without thinking through her words. She noticed the raised eyebrow from Wynonna (and missed Waverly’s blush and tuck of her hair behind her ears) and gulped. “Come on, Earp. It’s true.”

“I’m not disagreeing with you!” The older brunette fired back. “You just usually aren’t this nice to people. Except for Jeremy and people in cases.”

Wynonna was right but Nicole still shrugged defensively and tried to remain eye contact with her (and not look at her sister). She was talking to Waverly differently and she was sure that the older brunette would start to notice. She might have felt a spark with Waverly, but she wouldn’t dare break her bond with Wynonna. Their friendship was a forever thing. 

* * *

“Are you sure that you guys don’t need to work?” Waverly asked as they rode the T back to the station closest to the hospital after hours of the three of them scoured almost every little shop in Chinatown. She was still sipping her bubble tea (despite being massively full from her meal that she enjoyed more than she ever thought possible) and watched as Nicole and Wynonna purposefully stood far from each other so that they didn’t risk bumping into each other. They had been acting weird ever since they ate at the restaurant and avoided Waverly’s question about how they knew each other. 

Justin kept thanking them and the two women kept trying to pretend like it wasn’t a big deal. Waverly wanted to know why they were acting so weird, but she just didn’t know how to ask. They obviously didn’t want her to know the truth and that pissed her off. 

“We are practically our own bosses,” Wynonna told her sister with a shrug. “But I do need to head to the precinct. Need money for rent. I get paid on every person I catch. Which fucking sucks if you ask me. But they don't trust me. I have no idea why, though...” 

Waverly ignored Wynonna's joking tone and asked, “Isn’t that dangerous?” 

Wynonna smirked and answered, “There are much more dangerous jobs I could have. Don’t worry about me, kid. Jessica Jones over there is the one with a dangerous job.”

Waverly turned to Nicole and asked with concern, “Are you in danger all the time?” 

“Wynonna’s exaggerating,” Nicole reassured her immediately. “My job is mostly following creeps and watching them cheat on their spouse. I normally work missing person cases with Earp. I get the occasional cold case, but that’s rare. It’s a lot safer than one would think.” 

“You should take her with you tonight,” Wynonna suggested, wanting her sister to not be alone (but didn’t want to spend time alone with her). “I’ll text Chetri to pick up some pizza and we can eat before we head out.” 

Nicole wasn’t sure if she wanted the brunette to see what shit she had to get into with her job, but she also didn’t hate the idea of spending time alone with her. She tried to shake that thought out of her head and reminded herself that it was Wynonna’s sister she was having thoughts about. 

“Only if Waverly’s okay with it,” The redhead said and let the brunette decide for herself. 

Waverly didn’t have to think long. She wanted to spend some time getting to know the redhead. And being on an actual case, the idea made Waverly grin. She always wanted to be a spy. Who didn't? And being in a car with Nicole for hours with nothing to do... what could go wrong? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please comment if you can or talk to me on tumblr @haught-n-cold-gay or twitter @chaoicpeacemkr


	6. The One Where Nicole and Waverly Are Spies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly joins Nicole on her mission and they have a moment.

Wynonna audibly moaned when Jeremy arrived at the hospital with boxes of pizza that he could barely hold himself. She practically pounced him and grabbed the boxes out of his hands and placed them onto the table where everyone else was already sitting. Without even grabbing a plate, she picked a slice and started eating it without a care in the world.

Jeremy looked around the table and asked, “Where’s Doc?” 

“Hell if I know,” Wynonna answered and poured another cup of whiskey between bites. “Knowing him, he’s probably trying to chat Rosita up.” 

“Poor guy,” the vet muttered, frowning at the thought. 

Nicole snickered and turned to Waverly (who was confused that Doc had a different love interest other than her sister) to explain, “Rosita is this bartender who’s worked at the bar that Doc works at and Wynonna used to work at. She’s always put him in the friend zone.” 

“Oh,” Waverly said, trying her best to follow who was interested in who and the jobs that her sister has had. “Is she gay?” 

Wynonna laughed, “Doc Holliday ain’t a prince, baby girl. She doesn’t have to be a lesbian to be uninterested.” 

“She  _ is  _ into girls though,” Nicole commented and then took a sip of beer that Waverly had refused. 

“How the fuck do you know that?” Wynonna asked her. “Is it that infallible gaydar of yours?” 

Nicole rolled her eyes and stated, “No, dick. She asked me out and I said no.” 

The bounty hunter gasped, “You did?  _ I’d  _ hit that! Rosita’s  _ gorgeous. _ Ugh, that body—“ 

“Maybe  _ you  _ should ask her out if you’re so interested.” 

The brunette grimaced and pointed out, “The last time I banged a chick Doc had eyes on, it didn’t turn out so great.” 

Waverly winced and asked (though she wasn’t sure if she wanted to know the answer), “Do you normally go after girls that Doc likes?” 

“Nah,” Wynonna reassured her with a shrug. “Usually we go after the girls together.” 

Waverly swallowed her bite of pizza and tried to refrain from thinking about her sister having threesomes while she ate. 

“Please, Wyn,” Jeremy begged as he put his pizza down onto the paper plate. “Not at dinner. We already have to deal with the thin walls…” 

Wynonna smirked as if she was proud of that fact, startling Waverly. The younger brunette would have felt mortified if someone had said that to her. Sometimes it was hard to believe that Wynonna was her biological sister. 

“You could get some action, too, Chetri, if you wanted. You’re a handsome dude.” Wynonna turned to look at her sister. “I try to convince these guys to have sex-positive li—“ 

“Some people don’t need sex to have a positive life,” Nicole interrupted with annoyance for her best friend. “I enjoy sex, but only if it’s with the right person. Not everyone wants sex from… well… everyone.” 

Wynonna pursed her lips and countered, “I have  _ some  _ class, Haught. I don’t fuck  _ every  _ person I come across. Don’t be so dramatic.” 

“I don’t know what conversation I’m walking in on,” Dolls greeted as he entered the room and set his briefcase down before joining the group at the table. “But I’m sure you’re being the dramatic one, Earp.”

She stuck her middle finger up at him and everyone laughed. She could take a lot of shit, but Dolls could always get under her skin as if he had this strange hold on her that she didn’t understand. It infuriated her. 

“This vegan pizza is pretty good,” Waverly said to change the subject as she spoke through chewing. “Food like this just isn’t in a small town. Though, you did buy these pizzas, right?”

Jeremy chuckled and stopped when he realized she wasn’t laughing. “Wait— you’re serious? School debt, remember? No, I saved the restaurant owner’s dog’s life. We’ve gotten free pizza since.” 

Wynonna leaned over and told Jeremy, “Waves is still getting used to the whole ‘no paying' thing.” 

“That’s because she’s a law-abiding citizen,” Dolls commented under his breath. 

“It’s startling,” Jeremy defended as he ignored Dolls’ statement. “I came to Boston for college and I’m still not completely used to city life. Not everyone is a born pro like WynHaught.” 

Waverly smiled at him gratefully, glad that she wasn’t the only newbie and that she had a person on her side who wasn’t as intimidating about knowing the city. 

“Thank you, Jeremy. So, do you like Boston? You far from home?” 

“A few hours away,” He answered vaguely and a little less brightly. “But the city is much better than where I grew up. It’s okay being in a small town in the north, but the racism and— it’s just not great. The city is a lot more accepting. It does take a while to get used to, but I’m sure you’ll make it. You have plenty of support here.”

Waverly looked around the table and realized that he was mostly right. Sure, there was the elusive Dolls who she didn't know at all, but there was Jeremy who was kind and approachable. And Nicole, she was warm and thoughtful. And Wynonna… was her sister. Things might have been weird between them, but she hoped that the weirdness wouldn’t last forever. 

“I’m sure Bobo would give you support, too, if he knew you were here,” Wynonna joked coyly to tone down the seriousness. 

“You’re an ass,” Haught told her with an eye roll as she began to tell Waverly about the mysterious Bobo Del Rey and why he was so notorious for being… different.

* * *

Waverly couldn’t hear the discussion between her sister and the redhead as Wynonna got her stuff together for her meeting with the police or whatever she was planning on doing as a bounty hunter. The two of them were obviously talking about something extremely private, but it annoyed the younger brunette that they didn’t think that she could hear. 

“I’m sure they aren’t talking about you,” Jeremy tried to assure her as he approached her and watched the two of them talk together. “They’ve always been like this. Sometimes I feel like I’m living in their world.” 

That made Waverly feel bad for him, but she knew exactly what he was talking about. It was sucky enough that they weren’t talking to her, but them not sharing with him was just rude. 

“You’re not,” Waverly told him sincerely. “They just… I think they have a weird past or something.” 

“That’s for sure,” He agreed with a sigh. “When I moved in, it was just them two and Doc. That was weird, let me tell you. Doc was fawning over Wynonna while she practically ignored him as she fought Nicole. They haven’t always been best friends.” 

Waverly didn’t know what that meant. The two had alluded that they hadn’t always gotten along, but what Jeremy was implying was something different. Something even more mysterious. 

“Doc and Wynonna were the first ones to move in here then?”

“Doc lived here first when it was in renovation stages, not that this place has really been renovated. When Wynonna worked at the bar, he did tell her about this place. But they didn’t move in together, or anything.” 

She didn’t understand the timeline. She knew that Wynonna worked at a bar with Doc but didn’t understand how that turned into working as a bounty hunter and befriending Nicole. She didn’t know why the redhead would have moved in (especially if she and Wynonna weren’t friends then). There were just so many unanswered questions. 

“And did Nicole move in when they were enemies?” 

Jeremy snorted, “Heck if I know. When I moved in they were constantly bickering like an old married couple. I guess they still do the same thing, but it’s less… angry now. I don’t really know what happened. I’m sorry, Waverly. I wish I could be more helpful.” 

She knew that he was trying and she appreciated it. “Thanks, Jeremy. I appreciate any answers I can get. I’m sorry for asking so many questions.” 

“No need to apologize for being curious. You haven’t seen your sister in years and then when you do, she’s living with a whole bunch of odd people. I’d have questions too.” He smiled at her kindly and knew exactly what it was like to live in a place with a bunch of people and feel like he didn’t know them at all. 

She had this strange urge to give him a hug and was about to when the two women approached them with what seemed like some tension between them. They didn't even look at each other.

“I’m going to work,” Wynonna announced as she crossed her arms. “Haught-pocket is taking you with her, smalls. And she’s promised to be very gentle.” 

Nicole rolled her eyes and said, “Your sister’s an ass. You ready, Waverly? I just gotta grab my camera and then we can head out.” 

Waverly nodded and watched her sister leave the hospital and turn the corner. She was gone faster than she could say goodbye. Typical. She wondered what her sister’s life was really like, behind that secretive cloak that she was standing behind when she was around her. 

When Nicole returned, Jeremy wished them good luck and told them to stay safe. That made Waverly feel slightly on edge. She didn’t think that what she was doing could possibly be dangerous. Then again, Nicole was an investigator. It would be naive to think that there would never be any danger. 

“Alrighty, cutie, let’s get on with this,” Nicole stated as she joined back up with the brunette, ready to go. 

Waverly couldn’t help but stare at the older woman. Nicole was wearing mostly black with her dark jeans, grey flannel, and leather jacket. She had her camera bag across her shoulder and was holding a helmet. The brunette could barely breathe. Champ never made her feel like  _ this _ . 

She nodded breathlessly and followed the redhead out into the depths of night. Nicole was walking quickly around the hospital (confusing the hell out of Waverly). Once they reached the back of the building, Waverly saw what Nicole was approaching. A motorcycle. 

“If you had this all along, why didn’t we use it today?” 

Nicole chuckled and answered, “Wynonna and I only use ours for our jobs. I know it seems a bit silly, but we save a lot of money walking around during the day. At least at night when we work, parking is free. What? Waverly, don’t look at me like that. You need to learn city life if you’re going to stay here. These bikes were cheap and we use them rarely. Have you ever ridden one before?” 

Waverly had. A long, long time ago. Wynonna had one when she was younger. She remembered late nights when her older sister drove her in the night just for the thrill of it. She remembered those pointless trips with fondness. At least, she used to. Now, the thought of being on one just made her chest hurt. She came here to spend time with her older sister and yet all her older sister did was avoid her. 

“Yeah, but… I don’t know. Are you sure that we can’t walk there?” 

The redhead wanted to make a joke about her being a pussy, but the words didn’t fall out of her mouth thoughtlessly like they normally did. Growing up in the city and spending her life training to be a cop and being around cops, she had a dirty mouth that she normally couldn’t control (which was what connected her to Wynonna, but also led to their biggest fights and disagreements). But she put thought into her words with Waverly. At least, she put in  _ some  _ thought. She still couldn’t shut up when it came to the flirting, though, despite how much she tried to. 

“If we were doing anything else, I’d do it. But this is my job, Waves. I gotta get there in a few minutes. If you wanna stay, I’m sure Jeremy would like the company. But I have to be there for this guy’s appointment.” 

She was trying to be considerate, Waverly understood that. But she wished there was another way. She was torn; as much as she liked Jeremy, she wanted this time with Nicole. Especially in the outfit that she was wearing. 

“Come on, Waverly, I got you. I promise. Hell, I promised your sister that not one hair would be outta place when she got back. I know her well enough to not break any of my promises to her. You said that you trust me, right?” 

Waverly nodded and replied, “I do. It's not you, it's--" She didn't know what else to say. She just took a deep breath and gave in. "Okay, let’s do this.” 

Nicole grinned at her before getting onto her motorcycle and invited the brunette to join her. Awkwardly, Waverly hopped on and suddenly felt extremely close to the redhead. Her body leaned against hers and all her senses felt overwhelmed. Nicole smelled like old spice and lavender. 

“Put your arms around me,” Nicole ordered as she tried to control her gayness. She did this with Wynonna all the time and never felt anything like this. When Waverly put her arms around her, the brunette’s hands felt like a bolt of lightning. Nicole gulped and added, “You better hold on tight.” 

Waverly wrapped her arms around her tighter and felt the roar and rumble from the motorcycle. She could tell that Nicole was purposefully starting out slower for her sake, and she couldn’t have been more grateful. As they went fast, with the wind carrying her hair, she started to feel good again. Wynonna was out of her head and all the thoughts in her head were about Nicole and the feeling of flight that a motorcycle brought. Strangely enough, since she had been in the city, this was when she felt safest. 

They drove for what seemed like a few minutes before Nicole pulled into a parking lot and parked the motorcycle. There was no one around and Waverly was confused. 

“Where are your targets?” 

“Follow me,” Nicole whispered and led the brunette to an abandoned building next to the parking lot. She opened a side door and entered the graffiti and mold filled building as if she had done this plenty of times. “A different parking lot on the other side of this building is where Mr. Danes tends to meet his conquests. His wife is trying to get enough proof so that she can receive more money in her divorce.” 

“Okay,” Waverly said, being able to follow that. “But then why are we in here?” 

Nicole waited to respond until she found the room where she had most of her things set up. On a higher floor, there was a window that was perfect for taking pictures of what was happening in the parking lot. 

“We can’t let them see us. It might take a while for him to show up. He’s not always on time. Come on, sit down. I have a few snacks in the bag if you get hungry.” 

Waverly joined her on a folding chair and sat there awkwardly, not knowing what to say to the redhead. She wanted to ask so many questions but didn’t know where to start. And she didn’t want to scare the redhead off. 

“I know that this isn’t the most fun thing in the world,” Nicole told her with a big sigh. “But your sister wanted to make sure that you were keeping busy and with someone that she... She’s not a trusting girl, your sister. But after all these years, I think I’ve earned it. Anyway, she’s not trying to be a jerk. She just comes off that way. But I think that you know that about her already.” 

“I don’t,” Waverly muttered softly. “I don’t know her. At least, not anymore. This was the first day I have spent with her since I was twelve. I don’t remember much about her. I knew that she was angry, but I had no clue that she wanted to leave. I never thought she’d go and just not come back.” 

Nicole understood that better than anyone else. She had people in her life that would come in and out without any care in the world for her. She was used to that. 

“I couldn’t tell you why your sister left and why she never visited you,” Nicole told her, not telling the truth completely (she had a few guesses to why she left). “But I am sure that she cares about you. Even if she doesn’t always show it.” 

This wasn’t the first time that Nicole had said something like this, but every time she said it, it felt like a lie to Waverly. She didn’t understand how a person who cared about her didn’t bother to show up on important occasions. She didn’t understand how she could leave and never return. She didn’t understand how she could see her sister for the first time in years and not want to spend time with her. 

“I know that you both are best friends, and I know that you’re loyal to her, but I thought that this would be easier. I thought she’d… want something from me like I do.” 

Nicole frowned and said, “Wynonna never wants anything from anybody. That’s just who she is. She’s a lone wolf.” 

“She wasn’t always,” Waverly whispered and looked down at her own hands. “There was a time that she and I were inseparable. Along with our older sister. But then we weren’t.” 

Nicole also understood what it felt like to not be wanted from someone that you care about. She hated that someone as good and kind as Waverly had to feel something like that. She wished that Waverly didn’t feel so abandoned. 

The redhead reached over and put her hand on Waverly’s knee, just to let her know that she was there for her. 

“I’m not your sister,” Nicole began as Waverly looked up at her with tears in her eyes. “We haven’t known each other our whole lives and we haven’t learned each other’s life stories. But I’m here for you. You can always talk to me when you need someone. Or if you need a hug or comfort or just need to rant. The city can be a pretty lonely place. Which is ironic since it’s full of people. But I know how it feels to not have anyone.” 

Tears fell down her cheeks, but they were no longer sad ones. She grabbed the hand that was on her knee and squeezed it tight. Nicole's words seemed genuine (and like she had experience with what Waverly was going through). She hadn’t felt so… supported in a long time. Her heart fluttered and felt full. 

“You have me, too, you know,” Waverly told her with a smile and kissed the hand that she was holding. “I don’t know what your life has been like, but I’d like to know. I’d like to know everything about you.” 

Nicole was flattered and scared. The last person she had become close with ended up leaving her once she had learned about her strange past and life. Letting people in like that again… it was just something she didn’t know if she could do. She wanted to tell Waverly everything. The words were at the back of her throat and she ached for the feeling of someone knowing her completely, but she didn’t know if she could be that vulnerable again.

“I’m boring, Waverly,” the private investigator lied with a forced smile. “But if you ask, I’ll tell you.” 

Waverly knew that she was given an in to ask about her sister, but she let the matters rest for the night. She didn’t need to know everything. At least, not now. Not when she was staring at the redhead with more feelings  that she thought she could ever muster. 

This was it, Waverly knew it. She had definitely fallen for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please comment so that I know what you guys are thinking or talk to me on tumblr @haught-n-cold-gay or twitter @chaoticpeacemkr


	7. The One Where There's A Bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole takes Waverly to a bridge instead of Purgatory on the way back home. 
> 
> Wynonna comes back and it ain't pretty.

When the car pulled into the parking lot, Waverly and Nicole immediately stopped chatting about Waverly’s transition to veganism over the years. The redhead pulled out her camera, opened the window, and started snapping pictures. She tried to ignore the brunette hovering over her as Waverly tried to catch a peek at the scandalous situation. 

The brunette gasped and immediately turned around (completely flushed). “Did I see what I thought I just saw?” 

Nicole laughed and answered, “Oh, yeah. I’ve seen more dicks than I’ve ever hoped to see in my life. Which is zero, by the way. It’s not glamorous work, but it pays the bills. And doing this busy work will hopefully lead to me picking the cases I want to pick.” 

Waverly thought that made sense, but she didn’t know if she had Nicole’s tenacity. She shivered at the thought of having to do this for years. She didn't quite understand why Nicole would put up with it. Especially after having a solid job.

“You were a cop first, right? What made you decide to do this?” 

The redhead inwardly groaned. That question was one that she  _ really  _ didn’t want to answer. It was something that Wynonna had asked her all the time, too. Nicole thought that Wynonna could probably guess what happened, but she refused to say it out loud. She didn’t want to admit it. 

“I wasn’t getting the kinds of cases that I wanted as a cop,” She lied through her teeth, hating that she wasn’t willing to tell the brunette the truth. “I thought I’d be able to get the cases I wanted by now.” She rushed to take the last few pictures that she would need so that she could escape this conversation. “Alright, Waves. We’re done here. Ready to go back home?” 

_ Home.  _ It wasn’t something Waverly would call Purgatory. But it was where Wynonna lived. And better yet, it was where Nicole was staying. And the thought of sleeping in the same building as her made her heart race. 

Nicole packed up quickly, trying to abandon the scene as quickly as possible. She knew that Waverly was watching her closely, but she tried to not pay attention. Especially when she saw the way the light from the lamps outside hit the brunette in a certain way that made her want to stare. God, Waverly was so pretty in the dark. She shivered that thought out of her head and mentally chastised herself that she was thinking about Wynonna’s sister in a very unfriendly way. Which was odd for her. She rarely had uncontrollable thoughts like these.

“Do you think that I made a good decision? Coming here?” Waverly asked her, pulling the redhead out of her trance. 

Nicole froze and stared at the brunette, not knowing what to say exactly. Waverly was biting her lip anxiously, waiting for an answer. Nicole wanted to pull her into a hug and reassure her that everything was going to be okay. But that wasn’t what a friend did. And Nicole knew they could only be friends. 

“I’m glad you’re here,” The private investigator revealed honestly, her eyes remaining far away from hers. “No matter what happens, I’ll be here for you.” 

Waverly grinned at her with a blush (hoping that Nicole couldn’t see her reddened cheeks in the dark) and whispered, “Let’s go home, then.” 

* * *

The city was different in the dark. Waverly was already directionally challenged, but in the darkness, it was worse. She didn’t know when she realized that Nicole wasn’t driving her back to the hospital, but it was something that certainly startled her, especially without any warning from the redhead. 

For Nicole, it was just a random decision she made once she turned on a street and remembered her favorite place in the city. She knew it wasn’t the coolest thing to do, especially with someone who was practically a stranger, but she couldn’t help herself. She hadn’t been back in years. Something about it made her not want to go alone, but she couldn’t go with just anyone, either. 

She pulled onto an abandoned road and drove until they reached a small bridge. Once she stopped, she got off the motorcycle and noticed the uncertainty all over Waverly’s face. 

“Trust me,” Nicole begged. “C’mon.” 

Adrenaline rushed through Waverly as she nodded and followed Nicole under the bridge. She didn’t know what to expect, but there was a part of her that hoped the redhead would push her against the wall and kiss her until she felt nothing and everything all at once. 

Unfortunately for her, that didn't happen. 

They just stood under the bridge aimlessly until Waverly noticed that the redhead was pointing up. 

There were glow-in-the-dark stars on the top of the curve of the bridge and Waverly gasped once she had seen them. Part of her wondered if Nicole put them up there (it seemed like something she would do) but didn't ask. Staring at them with awe, she reached for Nicole’s hand and when she found it, she held it tight. 

“How’d you find this place?” 

Once again, Nicole regretted telling Waverly that she would answer everything that she asked. The answer was hard to talk about, but she hated lying. And she felt like she’s been lying more often than telling the truth. 

“I came here as a kid. I hadn’t always lived in Boston while growing up, but this was the one place that felt like home. That’s why I came back here. That and BPD offered me a job. But I was here a lot when I was a kid.” 

It wasn’t a lie, but Nicole just chose not to include the part about her sleeping out here some nights when she was desperate.

“It’s beautiful,” Waverly whispered and admitted, “I wish that I had a place like this that I could come to. Part of me loved growing up in my hometown where I knew everyone, but I also hated it. Everyone knew about my family and my history and there were just so many reminders of the bad things that had happened. I felt like I couldn't be me there.” 

Nicole felt like she had bad memories scattered up and down the east coast, but she didn’t say that out loud. 

Waverly noticed that Nicole was very far away in her thoughts and gathered that there was something more to the bridge. She didn’t want to press her on it. Not tonight. Not when everything was so peaceful. 

* * *

Waverly wasn’t a party girl when she was in college; she was the kind of person who wouldn’t be able to function with less than eight hours of sleep. She wasn’t used to getting back at 2:00 AM feeling wide awake and invincible. There was that one time that she accidentally took speed, but even that wasn’t a good comparison. Being around Nicole made her feel electric. 

No one was awake when they got back to the hospital, which was certainly a little eerie. Waverly felt safe around the private investigator, but there was something undeniably freaky about an abandoned hospital that she still hadn’t gotten over. 

“When do you think Wynonna will be home?” 

“Probably sometime in the morning,” Nicole answered truthfully. “She likes to work nights and sleep during part of the day. I had a theory she was a vampire for a while when I first met her.” 

Waverly snorted and said, “She has always been like that. I don’t remember much, but I do remember our aunt and uncle getting really mad at her for being out all night.” 

That statement brought a few questions into Nicole’s mind. 

“How old were you when she left?” 

“I was twelve.”

Nicole just wanted to make sure she was right about the age. It didn’t really make much sense to her. How did a twelve-year-old not remember much about her sister? It wasn’t like she was a child when Wynonna left. 

“And you don’t remember much about Wynonna…?”

Waverly shrugged and told her, “I don’t know. I never wondered much about it. I guess… she didn’t spend much time around me. We didn’t…” She trailed off, not knowing how to answer the question. Honestly, she just thought that she didn’t remember because she was young and… now that she was thinking about it, it was kind of odd. She couldn’t really remember her mother, her father, or Willa. And Wynonna came only as flashes. 

“Maybe I just have a bad memory.” 

Nicole knew that explanation was probably very unlikely, but let it go. What she knew about Wynonna’s childhood wasn’t good, and she wasn’t surprised that Waverly had buried memories that a child wouldn’t have been able to handle. 

“Yeah,” The redhead whispered. “That’s probably it. I’m going to go to bed, are you okay here? I know this place is a little…” 

Waverly smiled gratefully but shook her head. “Thanks for the offer, but I should probably get used to the… creepiness.” 

Nicole smiled and told her goodnight before heading off to her own room. Her heart was beating extremely fast and she just hoped that eventually, Waverly’s glowing face in the shadows from the warehouse would escape her mind. 

The brunette tiptoed to her small room and prayed that no freaky hospital monsters would get her in her sleep (and hoped she would dream about Nicole Haught). 

* * *

The sun was frustratingly beating down onto her face and Waverly woke up drenched with sweat. She couldn’t remember her dream, but something about it was dreadfully familiar and uncanny. Like it wasn’t something she made up, but a memory that remained deep in her mind. She didn’t understand why a memory or flashback would give her this reaction, but it made her shudder at the thought. 

She wrapped her hair into a bun and looked at herself in the small, broken mirror in the empty bedroom. She had bags under her eyes and she looked especially pale. 

What she needed was a shower. She grabbed the towel that Wynonna had given her and some clothes and headed to the bathroom. When she approached it, the door opened and Nicole came out of the bathroom with steam surrounding her body. She had a short towel that barely covered her body and she almost jumped at the brunette’s presence. 

“Jesus Christ,” Nicole shouted and gripped her towel harder, almost dropping it at the sudden scare. “You might have taken ten years off my life.” 

Waverly blushed with embarrassment and apologized quickly. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I guess we had the same idea.” 

Once the redhead calmed down, she took a deep breath and chuckled. “I guess you’re right. Sorry for being so flinchy.” She noticed that Waverly was looking different than last night and asked, “Are you alright?” 

“Oh, yeah,” Waverly lied (not really knowing if she was fine) and tried to look away from the ever so slipping towel. “This is why I go to bed before midnight.” 

Nicole grinned and said, “I’ll make sure that we don’t stay up too late next time. I’ve gotta go…” 

Waverly smiled and said, “Of course. And I have to shower… so…” 

The redhead gave her a small wave goodbye before walking away toward her own room, shaking her head at the strange interaction. 

* * *

Doc was drinking alcohol and eating cereal when Waverly entered the eating area. She tried to look at him without judgment, but it was hard. She couldn’t believe that her sister would ever be interested in a guy like him. But, to each their own. 

“I hope I didn’t take all the warm water,” Nicole mentioned as she passed the brunette a vegan muffin as she bit into a donut. 

“I needed a cold shower,” Waverly told her honestly, not realizing the implication of her words until they fell out of her mouth. Immediately, her face became red and she added, “I mean I was really hot-- Warm! I was really um…” 

Nicole grinned at her and nodded along, entertained by Waverly not being able to stop talking as she dug deeper into a hole that she created for herself. 

“No judgement here, darlin’,” Doc told her out of the blue, trying to be polite to Wynonna’s sister. 

That only embarrassed Waverly more. She was about to defend herself again when the front door opened and Wynonna entered with a gash on her forehead. 

“Oh my god,” Waverly shouted and got up to help her sister who was bleeding. “Wynonna! Are you okay?” 

Waverly reached for Wynonna’s forehead, but the older brunette held her back and said, “I’m fine, baby girl. Just a little cut. Nothing a band-aid can’t fix.” 

The younger sibling disagreed. “That isn’t a cut, ‘Nonna. You’re  _ bleeding _ . Don’t be an idiot. We should bring you to the hospital and stitch you up.” 

“Nah. I’m good. Too expensive. I don’t have insurance. Besides, I’m starving, what’s there to ea--” 

“At the very least we should take you and see Jeremy,” Waverly told her sternly. “At least he might be able to stitch you up and make sure that you don’t have a concussion or anything like that.” 

Wynonna shook her head. “Jeremy told me I couldn’t go to him anymore for injuries. He got in trouble with his boss last time.”

She walked over to Doc and poured the box of cereal into her mouth and washed it down with his liquor. Waverly winced at the scene and turned to Nicole for some help. The redhead shook her head, knowing that Wynonna was too stubborn to get any help. 

Waverly sighed, giving up, and said, “Fine. Can you at least tell me what happened?” 

The bounty hunter put her feet up on the table, sat back, and answered, “I found this dick that BPD was looking for in a fucking night club, okay? So, I followed him to the bathroom in the back, and he knew I was following him. When I tried to get him inside the bathroom, he wacked me with a fucking roll of paper towels. I kid you not. Who the hell knew it would create such a cut. Anyway, I still maced him and brought him in.” 

The younger brunette stared at the older one with disbelief. “And BPD didn’t even offer to take you to the hospital?” 

“BPD barely tolerates me, okay?” Wynonna replied with disdain. “I’m only on their payroll because there isn’t anyone better than me and they knew if I wasn’t being paid by them, I would be getting paid by strangers doing the same thing and I’d be taking all the credit rather than them. But they would never have chosen to work with me.” 

“BPD isn’t good without outsiders that don’t think like them,” Nicole murmured under her breath as she stared at her donut that Wynonna started eyeing carefully. 

Waverly didn’t know what to infer from that statement, but she could guess that it probably had to do with why the redhead quit the force. All she knew was that Nicole quit BPD, Wynonna joined BPD, but they both hated it. 

“Don’t try to find reason in these ladies,” Doc warned Waverly. “Your sister stopped working at the bar to work with the police. That was when she lost her edge.” 

Wynonna glared at the fake cowboy and said, “I joined BPD so that I can do more. I can do a hell of a lot more with a badge than without one.” 

“So you were finding missing people before you joined the police?” Waverly asked her sister, trying to hide her excitement that she was learning more about her. 

“Yeppers. Turns out it’s the only thing I’m good at. Other than selling drugs and drinking.” 

Waverly tried to ignore the end of that statement and asked, “What got you into finding people?” 

Wynonna tilted her head at her sister in confusion. She had always thought that it was obvious. She thought that Waverly would understand why she made it her mission to find people. She could answer the question with one word. 

“Willa.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please comment and let me know what you think! Or talk to me on tumblr @haught-n-cold-gay or twitter @chaoticpeacemkr


	8. The One Where Lucado Creates Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole takes Wynonna and Waverly out. 
> 
> Lucado meets Waverly.
> 
> Movie night.

_Willa._

Waverly gulped after hearing that name said aloud for the first time in years, decades, maybe. Gus and Curtis had always told her that her eldest sister was probably dead. She never even considered that she could have still been alive. Could have still been missing. That it could have been torturing Wynonna for years.

“I tracked her down here. But she was long gone. Boston was the only place I found a connection with,” Wynonna whispered gently, not understanding why her sister looked at her like she was crazy. “I mean, it’s not like I’ve actually seen her, but I can’t stop looking.” 

No words came to Waverly’s head. Her oldest sister had been gone for almost two decades. She was sure that it was impossible for her to be alive. But it wasn’t like she could tell her older sister that. 

Noticing that Waverly was stuck in her own head, Nicole announced, “I’m taking us to Boda Borg today. Rex said that he’d let us in.” 

“Okay,” Waverly said breathlessly and then asked, “What the heck is Boda Borg? And who the heck is Rex?” 

* * *

Rex was waiting for them when they got there. He greeted the redhead with an apprehensive hug and toothy smile. They both talked about how long it had been since they had seen each other until the awkward silence took over. He then passed them all wristbands so that they could get into all the rooms. 

“Man, I wanna join you guys,” he said as he opened the front door for the group of friends. “Nic was quite the partier back in the day.” 

Wynonna gasped, “No way! I always thought that she’d be the party pooper!” 

Rex smirked. “She was the only one I knew who could hold her liquor as good as me. Our high school was shit anyway. We had nothing to do but party.” 

Wynonna was definitely interested in this. She always figured that Nicole was a rule follower as a kid. Then again, she knew that the redhead didn’t have that rich, suburban life that she would have guessed when she first met her. There was a lot that she didn’t know about her, when she really thought about it. 

“How’d you guys meet?”

Nicole glared at Wynonna for asking and gave Rex a warning look, but Rex was unfazed. “We met my freshman year in a stairwell. We both were skipping. She was smoking a cig and I was smoking weed. We wordlessly switched after a few minutes. The rest was history, I guess you could say. Oh, we also have the same taste in women. Are any of you dating this fine lady? I’m guessing it’s you--” He stopped when Nicole smacked him in the back of his head after he pointed at Waverly.

“They’re just my friends, Rex.” 

Waverly frowned and stayed as silent as possible. She knew that Nicole had a complicated past, but this wasn’t quite what she was expecting. She thought that the redhead would have been a loner jock or nerd or something she could relate to. 

Rex put his hands up in surrender. “Excuse me for wanting to know about your personal life. You know, _ I’ve _tried to stay in touch all these years. But you just had to become a cop and get all those shit ideas in your head.” 

“I’m not a cop anymore. And I’m sorry. I know I should have come around more often... I know I’ve been a dick but--” 

“Hey,” Rex interrupted and stopped to look at her. “I’m not trying to judge you. We were just worried about you. But I’m glad you’re okay now. And that you have really hot friends.” 

Nicole tried to ignore the fact that he and Wynonna winked at each other and told him, “I’ll call you later and we can meet up. I know I haven’t talked to Tash in a long time… Is she…?” 

“She’s doing great. She’s a nurse now. Our second is… insane. But Tash is a good mom. And we’re doing our best.” 

The redhead nodded silently and felt a wave of guilt. She, Rex, and Natasha were an unstoppable force in high school. They were her beam of light in the shit storm of darkness. But once she joined the police, she abandoned them. And their two-year-old that she was an aunt to. 

“Tell her I miss her. I know things ended not… well, you know. I’d like to meet up again.” 

Rex smiled at her gently. “Tash and I would love that. When we find a babysitter to leave the kids with, I’ll give you a call. You can bring someone too. If you’re still with that… what’s her name?” 

Nicole shook her head immediately and felt herself flinch at the mention of her. “She’s out of the picture. It’ll just be me. I’ll talk to you later, yeah?” 

He nodded and walked off to his post in the huge warehouse, leaving the three with loads of question filled tension between them. There was a lot that happened in that conversation. A lot of things that both Wynonna and Waverly wanted answers to. 

“So, maybe you are more layered than I thought,” Wynonna tried to joke to ease the thick tension. 

It worked. Nicole nudged her friend and said, “Hey! I don’t want any of your judgement either. Just because I wasn’t always a ‘good girl’ doesn’t mean I was bad.” 

“Hey, I can’t say a word. I didn’t even finish high school. None of us can compare to my genius sister. Speaking of, are you ready for this, Waves? ” 

“I have no idea what I’d be ready for. Will one of you please explain to me what this place is?” Waverly begged her sister and Nicole. 

“It’s kind of like an escape room. Except there are three or more rooms to get through instead of one. And there are like minute time limits. And there are long lines,” Nicole explained and almost immediately noticed that Waverly looked uncertain about it and realized that she wasn’t making it sound fun at all.

“One question, baby girl: can you hang onto ceilings?” 

* * *

Nicole had kind of explained it wrong. Well, it wasn’t wrong, she just didn’t explain fully. Because what she hadn’t told Waverly was that every group of rooms were themed and had zero directions. They just had to try things until they got into the next room. Half the rooms were mental challenges and the rest were physical. They had to crawl into holes and swing across rooms. It was undeniably the most fun Waverly had in years. She felt like a kid again with her uncontrollable laughter and her need to outsmart her friends.

In the five hours they were there, they completed three units of rooms out of about twenty-five. When they were done, they were sweaty and sore. But all of them were in high spirits when they left the building. 

Waverly was barely thinking about Nicole’s crazy past, her waking up from a nightmare, or her situation with her sister. She was content as she followed the two other women down the street to a restaurant both of them knew. 

“Please tell me we will be paying for something here,” Waverly mentioned to them as a joke. 

“Yeah, we have unfortunately not met anyone who works here,” Nicole told her with a smile. “I bet you’re happy that we’ll be paying.” 

“I am impressed by how often you guys can get out of it,” Waverly replied honestly. “But I do feel like I’m breaking a law when you guys do it. Not that I don’t appreciate it, of course.” 

“Don’t mention it,” Wynonna replied dryly before adding, “Just don’t eat anything too expensive. Haught-crossed-buns and I normally just share appetizers when we don’t know anyone working. How do fried cheese sticks sound to you?” 

* * *

When they got back to the hospital, they weren’t expecting there to be silence. Jeremy, Doc, and Dolls should have all been home by then, but when they unlocked the door, they heard nothing. 

“Who die--” Wynonna began to ask until she noticed all of the residents pressed together into one couch and Lucado standing in front of them. “Oh. Fuck.” 

Nicole grabbed Waverly’s arm immediately and pushed her behind her, hoping that Lucado hadn’t seen the younger brunette. 

“Ah. Earp. Haught. It’s a pleasure to see you both again,” Lucado mentioned cooly as she waited for the group to sit down on the other couch. “Come, sit.” 

Wynonna and Nicole tried to have a wordless conversation about what to do with Waverly when Bobo came into the room and immediately approached the younger brunette. His hair was striped with black and white (matching his beard) but it was his outfit that startled her. His hands were tied into his shirt, like a mental patient. He sniffed her, causing her to yelp, and then walked over to the empty chair. 

“Who are you?” Lucado asked Waverly after noticing that she was there because of Bobo. “Are you just visiting or are you staying?” 

Waverly gulped and started nervously tugging her hair. “Uh… um…” 

“She’s my fiancee,” Nicole interrupted and put her arm around the brunette’s waist and pulled her close. “She’s moving in with me. If that’s okay with you, of course. We’ll be using the same room.” 

Waverly’s heart beat faster as Nicole lied to the scary blonde lady. She couldn’t tell if it was because Nicole’s arm was around her waist or because she was freaked out by the chance of getting kicked out. All she knew was that she was stunned by how fast the redhead had come up with the lie. As if it was at the tip of her tongue. 

“Hmmm,” Lucado said and tapped her chin. “I don’t appreciate finding out about it like this, but if you pay the rent for one room, I guess I can’t stop you. But I’m not here to talk about your unbearable romantic situation. I have a few forms for you all to sign and update.” She began to start passing folders around the room and said, “Complete them by tomorrow night. I’ll be back then.” 

She picked up her jacket and purse and started walking to the door. Before leaving, she said, “Oh, and if I find out that she isn’t your fiancee, Haught, and is just staying in an extra room, I’ll kick you both out.” 

She opened the door and left, leaving Waverly speechless and everyone else unsurprised. She had heard about how awful Lucado was, but she didn’t really believe it. Before she could ask anyone any questions, Bobo got up and went to his room murmuring about Black Badge Division, whatever that was. 

“Should I leave?” Waverly asked Nicole with more than a twinge of fear and frustration. “I don’t want you to get in trouble--”

“Don’t leave,” Nicole told her and moved her hand from the brunette’s waist to her hand and squeezed it. “She won’t find out.” 

Wynonna wasn’t as sure. “I don’t want you to leave, either, baby girl. But Lucado can come in and out whenever she wants. At one point, she came into my room when I was having company over, just to make sure we weren’t doing drugs. If she’s suspicious at all… she’s going to find out.” 

“One time she came into my room at 3:00 in the morning just to make sure Robin wasn’t staying over. Which would be crazy. Really crazy,” Jeremy emphasized.

Nicole sighed at her friends’ pessimism and said, “Fine. Then we’ll just have to fake it until Waves gets enough money to pay for her own room or her own place close to school. She can stay in my room. It isn’t that big of a deal.” 

Wynonna shrugged and said, “If you two are cool with it so am I. I love lying to authority.” 

The redhead rolled her eyes and turned to Waverly and asked if she was okay with the whole situation. The brunette looked at her blankly for a few seconds. The situation wasn’t ideal, but the idea of sharing a room with the redhead was too good to pass up. 

“No, yeah. That’s absolutely fine. I just don’t want to be a burden.” 

Nicole smiled at her gently. “Never, Waverly. I don’t know how long it will last, so we should probably start moving you into my room tomorrow. You can pick out all the stuff you would want.” 

Jeremy gasped, “Can we have a Saturday shopping trip?” 

Wynonna grumbled, “You would be the only one who would be excited about that.” 

Waverly disagreed with her. A chance to go shopping with Nicole, her sister, and Jeremy? That sounded like heaven to her. 

* * *

Friday movie night seemed like the kind of thing that Waverly would have thought would be considered ‘too domestic’ by Wynonna and the other residents. But she was wrong. After brushing her teeth, ready to go to bed after a night of snack eating and card playing, she found the group of reluctant friends sitting on the couches and arguing about what movie to watch. 

“Waverly!” Jeremy shouted with glee. “It’s your first movie! You should get to pick.” 

The pressure was on. She learned immediately that whatever her pick was, it would make someone angry. And she did not want to make any enemies. Waverly was a ‘comedy’ or ‘drama with a happy ending’ kinda girl. But the options of  _ Inglorious Basterds, Silence of the Lambs, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Tomb Raider _ , and  _ The Favourite _ didn’t really fit any of those categories. But alas, she still had to pick. 

“Pick right, little Earp,” Dolls advised as he looked down at his phone. 

“No pressure, or anything,” Waverly murmured under her breath. She thought about it as her friends stared at her. “Okay, okay. Let’s watch  _ Tomb Raider _ . It’s got Alicia Vikander in it right?” 

Wynonna cheered and got up to hug her sister. Apparently, it was the right choice according to the bounty hunter. Luckily for Waverly, Nicole didn’t seem too upset. Jeremy seemed happy enough with the decision too. It just seemed like it was Dolls who was disappointed (which Waverly could live with). 

Waverly squeezed in between Nicole and Jeremy and felt pleased on the couch with people she actually liked. When she first got to Boston, she was worried that Wynonna having housemates would mean that Wynonna could avoid spending time with her. Which was, sort of accurately what happened, but Waverly didn’t necessarily mind it anymore. If her sister didn’t have housemates, she wouldn’t have met Jeremy. Or Nicole. 

The movie was more enjoyable than Waverly would have guessed. Sure, she liked the badass main character and the storyline, but her favorite part was the reactions of her friends. Wynonna’s eyes were glued to the screen and she shoved popcorn in her mouth, dropping half of it down her shirt. Doc shouted at the screen and made the most audible gaps. Dolls tried to pretend like he wasn’t interested as he read his little book, but Waverly could see him look up at the screen when he thought no one was looking. Jeremy held the blankets up to his nose, hiding his eyes when Lara did something insane. 

Nicole let herself fully relax for once around the brunette, even if she thought it was a bad idea. She let her knee rest against the brunette’s thigh and tried to not shiver when she felt Waverly reach for her hand under the blanket when scenes were tense. Their fingers brushed only slightly, but the redhead wasn’t dense. She knew what this meant. It wasn’t just her that felt something. There was definitely something between them. 

“That was scary,” Jeremy murmured when the movie ended, the covers still held up to his nose. 

“Lara’s hot. I’d definitely hit that.” Wynonna stood up and stretched as the popcorn fell down her shirt. “And that other guy, Lu, or whatever. He’s sexy too. I’m going to have pleasant dreams tonight.” 

Doc cleared his throat and said, “No one told me Walton Goggins was in this movie.” 

“Are they making more of this series?” Dolls asked as he started walking to his room. “Because I hope there won’t be any more of them.” 

Everyone knew he was lying, but no one said anything out loud. Sometimes it was easier to let someone say a lie. 

“Gotta jet,” Wynonna stated as she picked the popcorn kernels off her shirt and popped them into her mouth. “I haven’t slept in like thirty-six hours. See you all tomorrow. In the afternoon, probably.” 

After she headed to bed, everyone seemed to start moving to their respective room. Waverly was too tired to gather all of her things from the spare room and just grabbed her pillow. She took a deep breath before walking into the redhead’s room.  _ Their  _ room. 

She opened the door and found the older girl’s room to be borderline depressing. There weren’t any pictures of anyone around the room (except one of an orange cat). The room's walls were gray and genuinely gloomy. There was only one bed, a bookshelf, a dresser, and a bedside table. The only thing of any color were these Christmas lights around the room. 

“I know,” Nicole said as she walked into the room behind her and closed the door. “It’s boring. Your sister reminds me that all the time.” 

Waverly looked around, trying to take in everything about the room. Nicole watched her carefully, not knowing what to do at this moment. Waverly’s hair was tied up and she looked so curious as she walked around the room. It made Nicole’s heart flutter. 

“It’s just not you,” Waverly decided and then found her way to the bed that creaked when she sat down. “Have you always had rooms like this?” 

Nicole looked away and pretended to look through her closet. The answer was sort of. There were times when she didn’t have her own room. And when she did, she lived out of a suitcase, always ready to leave if she had to. She hadn’t really decorated her room since her shared apartment with…

“Yeah. But I’d love for you to design it or whatever. I know you won’t be staying forever, but…” 

“No, I’d love that,” Waverly reassured her with a grateful smile. “Good thinking with Lucado, by the way. You really saved my butt.” 

Nicole chuckled and said, “No problemo, angel. So, do you mind if I get a blanket for the floor?” 

“No way. You’re not sleeping on the floor. If anyone’s sleeping on the floor, it’s me, alright? Can’t we share the bed? We’re both adults.” 

_ Horny  _ adults, Nicole wanted to add but didn’t. She just shrugged and got under the covers as Waverly did the same. 

It was a full bed. Big enough for them to stay to their corners. At least, for the time being. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please review and let me know what you think! 
> 
> Or talk to me on tumblr @haught-n-cold-gay or twitter @chaoticpeacemkr


	9. The One Where They Go Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly wakes up in the middle of the night and Nicole comes to the rescue. 
> 
> They all go shopping.

There was moaning. And not the good kind. Nicole had been up for hours reading  _ Devil’s Knot  _ with her handy book light when she heard strange noises coming from the person next to her. She put the book down and stared at the brunette, trying to figure out what was happening. 

Waverly was tossing and turning, her hands curling around the sheets, pulling like she was holding on for dear life. She was murmuring something that Nicole didn’t understand. It was obviously a nightmare, but the redhead didn’t know what to do. 

“Waverly…” She tried to whisper and see if she would easily wake up. When she didn’t, Nicole reached over and tried to put her hand on Waverly’s shoulder. 

The brunette lurched up in the bed, gasping for air. She was shaking and sweating and trying to understand her surroundings. She didn’t know where she was. She didn’t know who was in her bed. She was stumbling as she tried to get out of the suffocating sheets, tried to get out of the room, tried to breathe. 

“Waverly! Waverly, it’s me!” Nicole yelled, trying to get the girl to settle down and realize that she was safe. “It’s Nicole. Waverly, it’s just me.” 

_ Nicole _ . The light from the redhead’s book light allowed the brunette to see the familiar face and calm down. She stopped struggling in her bed and laid back onto the pillow after feeling like she ran a marathon. 

“Shit, shit, shit,” Waverly muttered as she covered her eyes with her hands, not wanting to see the other woman’s reaction. “I’m so sorry. I’m so… shit, I’m the worst. You let me stay here with you and I just mess it all up.” 

“Hey, no,” Nicole argued immediately and reached for one of her hands. “You don’t have to apologize to me for any nightmare. I’m just glad I was here and awake so that I could wake you up. You seemed really upset, chére. Do you know what you were dreaming about?” 

Waverly didn’t remember. All she could hear were the echoes of screams. She just didn’t know who’s screams they belonged to. 

“Not really. I’m sorry. This is so embarrassing.” 

“It’s okay, Waves, really. I used to have really awful nightmares too. And now I’m just an insomniac, so I’m not great at the whole sleeping thing either.” 

Nicole was surprised that she disclosed that information to the brunette, especially with so little thought that it came out naturally. She didn’t like to talk about her sleep problems, but she felt comfortable at the moment. And she needed for the brunette to know that she wasn’t alone in her issues.

Waverly knew that Nicole slept at strange times, but she didn’t expect this. Then again, she didn’t know much about the redhead at all, if she thought about it. 

“Do you remember your nightmares?” 

Nicole did. She didn’t know if she could ever forget them. “I wish I didn’t. But yeah, I do. My parents shouldn’t have been allowed to be parents. And I didn’t always have the most stable upbringing. Rex and Tash were the highlights of my childhood.” 

After getting vague answers for so long from everyone, Waverly was glad that Nicole was telling her the truth. 

“I wished I could remember,” Waverly admitted softly like she felt bad for saying it since Nicole hadn't wanted to remember her own. “My dreams, that is. I think… I think that they’re not made up. I mean… I think they’re memories. I think being here, around Wynonna, is bringing up something from my past. I just wish I knew what it is.” 

That wasn’t a surprise to the redhead. Wynonna hadn’t told her everything, but she could read between the lines that their childhoods were not stable or healthy. Much like her own. 

“I think that your mind is trying to save you. Whatever happened, you unconsciously don’t want to remember.” 

“What could be so bad that my own mind won’t let me remember?” Waverly contemplated out loud. “I know things weren’t always good. But growing up, I had Wynonna, Willa, and daddy. Things were good. When daddy died and Willa went missing… I don’t know. I just can’t… focus on anything. It’s like a blur.” 

Nicole didn’t know what to say. All she could do was provide comfort. She intertwined her fingers with Waverly’s, just to let her know she was there. 

“We’ll figure this out together, if you want. Dealing with the past can be daunting and I just want you to know that I’m here. And if there’s anything you need, just ask.” 

The brunette grinned and felt her world stop spinning out of control. 

“Nicole… can you… can you just hold me until I fall asleep?” 

For once the redhead was glad she was an insomniac. As she wrapped her arms around Waverly, she felt slightly intoxicated by her presence. Even if she could sleep, she wouldn’t have been able to. And maybe, she wouldn’t have even wanted to.

* * *

The sound of the theme song from the show,  _ Psych _ , woke Waverly and Nicole up a few hours later. They both groaned at the sound, but Waverly knew that it was her ringtone. After the brunette peeled herself away from the redhead’s body, she crawled out of bed and answered her phone. 

“Hello?” 

_ “You sound like you just woke up. Did you just wake up? It’s 11:00 AM there! You never sleep in that late! Are you okay? Are you sick?”  _

Waverly rubbed her temples at the sound of her concerned and angry aunt early in the morning. She had slept great since Nicole had held her and she really,  _ really _ , didn’t want to be out of the warm bed at the moment with the redhead and her bed hair and smiling lips. 

“Gus, I went to bed late. I’m fine.” 

“ _ Are you already seeing someone? You know, you shouldn’t get into a relationship so quickly after a move. _ ” 

The brunette felt her cheeks redden. She wasn’t technically in a relationship, no. But whatever she had with Nicole was… something. 

“I’m not seeing anyone. I was just up late with friends.” 

“ _ Friends. I see. So, you found that friend that you said you knew was staying in Boston? Did she let you stay with her?”  _

“Yeah, Gus. She did. It’s really great. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m being very well taken care of.” 

She and Nicole shared a smile. 

“ _ I’m happy to hear that, darling. Curtis and I were worried about you. You know, if you ever want to come back, you can. No need to be stubborn. The city life ain’t for everyone.”  _

“I know that and appreciate it. I like it here. I’m still getting used to things, but everything is so bright. I’ve met the coolest people. You and Curtis would really like them.” 

Gus snorted. “ _ I’m sure we would. Do you need us to send you any more money? Is there anything that you need?”  _

“Nope. I’m all good here. I do have one question, though. I don’t know why exactly I’ve been thinking about her, but… Willa. I know you don’t like to talk about what happened--” 

“ _ Somethings are easier dead and buried, hon. Those men that killed your father took your sister and did god knows what. She’s gone. Not another word needs to be said about it. _ ” 

Waverly just didn’t understand how her guardians were completely convinced that Willa was dead while her sister was sure that she was still missing, but alive somewhere.

“ _ Waverly? Why do you ask? You’ve never asked about your sister before.”  _

“I know. I was just curious, I guess. Anyway, thanks for calling. I’ll give you both a call in a few days. Say hello to Shorty for me.” 

They both said goodbye and Gus abruptly hung up. Waverly thought it was a weird conversation in general. Especially with how upset she sounded about what exactly happened with Willa. She heard the rumors about her disappearance as a kid, but she never really asked her aunt and uncle about it. Not after Wynonna left. 

“You okay?” Nicole asked. “You look like you just saw a ghost or something.” 

Waverly nodded and crossed her arms. “My aunt’s just being secretive. Which, can I just say, I’m really tired of.” 

The redhead frowned. She knew she was one of the people keeping secrets from the brunette and hated herself for it. She knew she wasn’t being fair, but telling her life story wasn’t something she just did, either. 

“Everybody has their reasons to keep secrets. I know that doesn’t make it okay, but their intent isn’t to be malicious. My intent isn’t to be malicious. I know that I promised you I’d answer all your questions, but I don’t think I can. I’m sorry.” 

Waverly could tell that the private investigator did truly feel guilty about her secretiveness, which the brunette hadn’t been completely sure about until now. It fascinated her, a little. But her attraction to the mystery scared her.

“Do you think that one day you’ll be able to tell me about your life?” 

Nicole stared at her. She appreciated that she was blunt but genuinely didn’t know the answer. She wanted to think that someday she’d get over her paranoid fears of talking about her life and scaring people away, but she wasn’t sure that it would happen. 

“Me not telling you everything has nothing to do with me trusting you or how much I care about you. It has everything to do with me and my shit that I can’t just fix on a whim. I…” She took a deep breath and exhaled like it took energy out of her just to say it. “I really trusted someone once. I told her everything. And that… turned into a steaming pile of shit, let me tell you. And honestly, I probably still haven’t quite recovered.” 

Waverly was speechless. Nicole hadn’t been this vocal about her life until now. It was progress. And complete honesty, the brunette could tell. She got up and walked over to the bed to comfort the redhead. She reached for her hand and held it. 

“Take your time, Nicole. Seriously. I’m not going anywhere. There are obviously parts of my life that I don’t know about either. Maybe we can deal with our pasts together. Maybe it’ll be easier.” 

The redhead wasn’t sure, but she could tell that Waverly was. And that was good enough for her. 

* * *

Jeremy was already prepared to go shopping when  the two girls found their way to the kitchen after slowly trudging out of their room. He had made them breakfast and was waiting for them at the table, tapping his fingers with anticipation. 

“Morning, guys,” He greeted them with a smile. 

“Don’t be fooled by his cheery personality,” Dolls mentioned as he passed by the table. “He was just rambling about going to your room to wake you up and was ready to start a rumor about the two of you being in a relationship.” 

Both the brunette and the redhead blushed, but the two men didn’t notice. Instead, Jeremy frowned with embarrassment. 

“He’s just excited that he has a chance to shop with people who won’t grumble and complain the whole time,” Wynonna joked as she joined them. She winked at her sister and smiled. “How was sleeping in the same room, roomies?” 

Nicole cleared her throat and said, “She’s a lot better sleeper than you, Earp.”

Waverly tried to not read into that and remember that they had known each other for years (as friends) and started to eat whatever Jeremy prepared for her. 

“Ha-ha. You’re so funny, Tater-Haught. Whatever. I was preparing something fun for us tonight, but if you want to continue being a dick…” 

Nicole rolled her eyes but smiled. Ever since they knew each other, there was a form of banter. And for most of the time, the banter was playful and wasn’t meant as anything other than a joke. It had always been like that. Well, at least after a while. 

“Sorry, Earp. What do you have planned?” 

Wynonna pretended to zip her lips and whispered, “It’s a secret, nosy. So, how much am I going to regret going on this shopping trip?” 

“Knowing you, probably a lot,” Nicole told her with a grin. “But that means it will be fun.” 

* * *

Wynonna grumpily pushed the cart as Waverly and Jeremy picked things in the closest department store. They were chatting about everything, like they had known each other their whole lives. Occasionally, they would remember that two other people were there and would try to include them, but it didn’t last. Waverly even sometimes asked Nicole whether or not she liked the things that she was picking for  _ their  _ room, but after the redhead told her to just pick whatever she wanted multiple times, she stopped asking. 

“I blame you,” Wynonna muttered to Nicole as they slowly dragged their feet behind their friends. “Waverly wouldn’t want to decorate the room if your room hadn’t been so goddamn depressing and lame.” 

“Are you saying that we’re here because I’m boring?” 

“Yes,” The brunette answered simply. “You’re also too nice to her. I mean, I’m glad you’re nice to my sister. But you aren’t… a nice person. I remember when we first met and you called me a--” 

“Please,” Nicole pleaded, not wanting to hear those horrible words that she once said. “Don’t. I was an ass. I’m just… less of an ass now, okay?” 

Wynonna looked at her with curiosity. “Look, I’m not trying to be a bitch, Haught. I’m just saying. You’re acting differently. You don’t… have to be a different person around her.” 

“I’m not,” Nicole replied more aggressively than she had intended to. “Your sister is great, Earp. I’m nice to her because I like her as a person.” She didn’t tell the brunette about her romantic feelings or the fact that for once she acted like herself around the younger sister.

The bounty hunter nodded and said, “I’m glad you two are getting along. Seriously. I’m happy that you both have had a better beginning than we did.” 

Nicole flinched. “I wasn’t myself then.” 

“I know,” Wynonna replied softly. “I know.” 

Their short conversation was abruptly cut short when Waverly turned to them and announced that it was time for them to pay. Wynonna asked if they were done and groaned when her sister said that they had only just started. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please comment and tell me what you think! Or come talk to me on tumblr @haught-n-cold-gay or twitter @chaoticpeacemkr


	10. The One Where Wynonna Loves Mookie Betts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wynonna takes her fam to Fenway Park.

Almost fifteen bags later, they were back at the hospital where Waverly decided to play designer and told everyone where everything was going. 

“We are going to also print out a lot of pictures. Nicole, start picking out your favorites. We’ll find a place for all of them. Ooh! What color do you want for the walls? I was thinking maybe a light blue or…” 

Nicole had stopped listening after the mention of pictures. Truth was, the redhead didn’t have any. Not really. Growing up, her parents didn’t take pictures. And if they did, they probably got lost in the shuffle of moving or leaving or running. She used to have pictures of her time in the academy and in the police, but once she quit, she threw them all away in a drunken burst of anger. And since then? She hadn’t really taken any pictures. There wasn’t really a moment that she wanted to capture. Not until Waverly came. 

“Woah, woah, woah,” Wynonna shouted as she watched her younger sister spaz out. “Don’t suffocate her, baby girl. We aren’t like you. We don’t give a shit about any of that stuff.” 

“Hey, don’t be an ass,” Nicole told the older brunette and smiled at Waverly. “I do care. I’m just not good at any of this design stuff. I trust whatever you want.”

“Haught and I are minimalists, Waves. All we need are the clothes on our back and a roof over our heads.” 

Waverly shook her head with amusement. “That stuff’s important, sure. But then you have to live under that said roof. And without any paint or pictures, it’s just blah. Not that your room was blah, Nicole.” 

Nicole was about to reassure the blushing girl that her room  _ was  _ blah, but Wynonna butted in. “Don’t blame her for that. She moved around all the time as a kid. And I hadn’t been to your old place since before we were housemates and hated each other, but I’m sure that place was boring too.” 

Wynonna was wrong in the end, there. Nicole's last place wasn’t boring. The apartment she shared was full of personal touches, photographs, and wall to wall bookshelves full of books and movies and mementos. 

Waverly didn’t want to push her, but she was curious. The redhead had mentioned before about not staying in Boston her whole life and mentioned that her parents were less than perfect. She wondered about the story, there. 

“Did you move a lot?” 

Nicole was grateful that the question wasn’t specific and knew that the brunette was trying hard not to ask her really tough questions. “Yeah. Never really settled down too often. Earp’s right about that.” 

“You wouldn’t have known that Haught-sauce was a street kid when I first met her,” Wynonna pointed out as she flopped onto Nicole’s bed. “She was snootier and more arrogant than anyone I had ever met.” 

The younger brunette immediately turned to look at the redhead to see her reaction and if she would deny it. Nicole looked embarrassed, but it seemed like Wynonna was telling the truth. 

Nicole saw the look on Waverly’s face that read:  _ how is that even possible?  _ She sighed and felt like she had to explain a little, because of Wynonna’s big mouth. 

“I was self-righteous. I thought everything was black and white. And I’m not surprised it came off that way. That’s not how I was always like, but yeah. When Wynonna first met me, that was who I was.” 

“Well, that doesn’t matter,” Waverly reassured her quickly and with a slight blush. “Because that’s not you today.” 

Not realizing the two were having a moment and were smiling at each other with heart eyes that could be seen miles away, Wynonna countered, “She still thinks she’s always right. And she’s a dick. Just not to you.” 

Nicole shook her head and watched as Waverly giggled at her older sister’s statement because to her, the redhead was the opposite of a dick. 

“Okay, weirdos. Do you mind putting a pause on all this decorating shit? I still have that surprise, remember?” 

Nicole and Waverly turned to look at each other with slight apprehension. They trusted Wynonna, but they weren’t sure if they were ready for something that the brunette would consider a surprise. 

* * *

“I have to be honest with you, Earp,” Nicole mentioned slowly as she looked at the stadium with awe. “I kind of thought you were taking us to a strip joint.”

Wynonna hit her friend’s shoulder and grinned. “That does sound like me. But even I have to admit this is better.” 

This was almost the last place that Waverly was expecting her sister to drag them to. Wynonna wasn’t into sports as a kid. In fact, she was that kid who would attempt to publicly shame athletes and assert that she was allergic to all athletic activity. And yet-- they were here. At Fenway Park. And Wynonna was grinning like a kid. 

“This is a… baseball stadium…” Waverly muttered, feeling incredibly confused. It made her wonder if she knew her sister at all. 

“Yes, Waves. You’re a little slow today. We are at a Red Sox game. Against the fucking Yankees.” 

Waverly gasped, “That’s why you’re wearing bright red.” 

“Fuck you, Earp. Why didn’t you tell me we were going to a game? I have like six jerseys and two baseball caps. And instead, I’m here wearing goddamn dark blue.” 

Wynonna rolled her eyes and argued, “It’s not my fault you decided to wear your blue plaid instead of your normal red. Besides, don’t be cranky. This is my sister’s first game. Put a smile on that face.” 

“How are you affording this?” Waverly asked as they got into the security line for the stadium as her sister pulled out tickets. 

“Easy, girlie. Don’t get all suspicious. I got the captain of the BPD out of a sticky situation recently and I asked for three tickets. He’s a season ticket holder. Fair trade, I’ll say.” 

Waverly turned to look at Nicole to silently ask her if her sister was being honest and the redhead nodded with a shrug. 

“I haven’t been in years,” Wynonna added with an excited pep in her step. “And it wasn’t a big game like this one. Baby girl, the Sox and the Yanks are big rivals. This game’s going to be intense. But that means it’s going to be fun. Beer, pretzels, peanuts, and screaming.” 

“Earp’s favorite past-time,” Nicole snickered with a smirk. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve been to a game. It was when I was younger. I think Tash and I snuck in one time. But that was when the security was lax.” 

Waverly felt like she was a little out of her league here. She knew absolutely nothing about baseball and could tell how happy the other two were. It was slightly intimidating. 

“So you guys like baseball?” 

“The game?” Wynonna asked. “Hell no. It’s not the game that’s fun, baby girl. It’s the experience. Red Sox fans are monsters and I love that. It becomes like a mob mentality. It’s one adrenaline kick, I’ll tell you.” 

Nicole glared at the brunette and said, “I actually enjoy the game. I played a little when I was a kid. The game isn’t too confusing and I find it to be the most interesting sport to watch. You’ll see.” 

Waverly sighed. She certainly hoped so. 

* * *

They weren’t lying. The stadium was packed with people. Waverly hadn’t been around this many people since her friends in high school dragged her to a Justin Timberlake concert (which she had regretted going to). She could see the draw to the stadium, though. Nicole explained the history of the ballpark to her and she slowly became more intrigued. 

“There aren’t going to be very many vegan options,” Wynonna admitted to her sister. “But I do think there might be a vegan pizza somewhere.”

“I’ll take you,” Nicole volunteered. “The pizza here is actually surprisingly not bad. Besides, Earp has to get all of her crazy foods.” 

Wynonna grinned. “Let’s meet at the Monstah,” She said and walked away, practically shaking from excitement, which baffled her sister. 

“What’s with her?” Waverly asked the redhead, feeling like her sister was suddenly a stranger to her. 

Nicole sighed and watched the older brunette dance through the crowd. Sometimes she was like this. The redhead didn’t understand why and when these weird emotional highs happened for Wynonna, but it partially worried her. A high meant an eventual low. 

“Baseball brings out the kid in everyone,” Nicole tried to joke to mask her worry. “Now, stay close to me. It’s easy to get lost here.” 

Waverly grabbed the hand that was offered and allowed the redhead to drag her to wherever they were supposed to go. 

“Hey, Nicole? What’s the Monstah?” 

* * *

The seats were better than Nicole could have imagined. She wasn’t surprised that the captain had seats like this. He was beyond wealthy and only became chief because of his connections and bureaucratic ties. 

After the three of them took pictures next to the big green wall, also known as the ‘Green Monster,’ they found their way to their seats in left field. Even before the game began, Wynonna chugged eight ounces of beer and ate a bag of peanuts which she had crushed and dropped onto the floor, much to Waverly’s dismay. 

Nicole tried to explain the game to the clueless brunette as simply as possible. She explained that there was a pitcher and a hitter and the goal of the pitcher was to get a strikeout (or possibly a double play), not a hit or walk. Waverly nodded, as if she understood, but remained just as lost as before. At one point, Nicole was mentioning four balls which confused Waverly because she thought that there was only one ball thrown at once. 

“You’re taking the fun out of it,” Wynonna complained to the redhead. “Just let her scream and shout at the fucking Yanks. Oh, and baby girl? Don’t do the wave. Fake fans do the wave.” 

“Aren’t you a fake fan?” Waverly asked her older sister. 

Nicole almost collapsed from laughter, which caused the bounty hunter to hit her best friend. She ignored the question and announced she was going to get another beer. 

“Should I not have said that?” Waverly asked the redhead as her sister grumbled off to get even more alcohol. “She seems pissed.” 

“She’ll get over it,” Nicole reassured her with a smile. “She needs a little wake-up call once in a while, you know? Though what she did for us is really cool. She’s always good at solving other people’s problems and getting the rewards from it. And besides, after five beers, she’ll be saying things to us that she’ll have to apologize for.” 

“Five beers?” 

“Probably more. Don’t worry, Earp. I’ll watch her.” 

Waverly blushed and did all that she could to just look at the field and not the redhead.

* * *

It only took Waverly three innings for her to realize that Wynonna didn’t really know what was happening either. She just yelled once everyone else did and ate as much food as she possibly could. Nicole tried to advise her about the amount of beer she was consuming, but the brunette didn’t really listen. Not that Waverly or Nicole really minded. Wynonna was in a good mood and the alcohol just made her seem lighter. 

“Trust me, I can seduce the mascot,” Wynonna joked and laid her head onto her sister’s shoulder. “Ooh, look at his ass. I fucking hate the Yankees, but Judge’s ass does things to me. Don’t you dare fucking tell anyone that, though. Martinez is still my man.” 

Nicole and Waverly shared a look before Wynonna jumped up and started clapping. Yankees just walked a guy. Another batter was up. Mookie Betts. 

Wynonna didn't tell them it was an act. She felt a little queasy on her feet. Sometimes alcohol diluted her sensations. Tonight, they were flaring up in ways that she couldn’t control. She felt like she could feel the screams from the fans on her skin, compiling on top of her. She could hear the whistle of the ball pass by. The bat’s swift swing. Three balls and two strikes. Wynonna felt like falling over. 

She tried to remain in control. But she felt everything. 

Crack. The bat split into two and flew across the field. The sound resembled gunfire. She thought about the trigger and the sound. She was down. Faster than Mookie Betts making it to second base for a double, Wynonna was on the ground, screaming. She was holding her head, crouched in the fetal position, her mouth on the pale concrete covered with peanut shells. 

Nicole didn’t have time to hesitate. She had seen this happen before (in a very different circumstance) and knew that she had to do what she could to snap the brunette out of it. She tried to pull her best friend up, but she wasn’t moving. She was screaming for them to stay away and not touch her. 

“Wynonna!” Nicole yelled and tried to shake this break down out of her system. “It’s me! It’s Nicole!” 

People were staring and Waverly was trembling with fear and confusion. Her sister had never looked so vulnerable and scared. But the most terrifying part of it all was that Waverly couldn’t move. She was standing still. Because she  _ had  _ seen this before, too. More than a decade ago. She could remember now. 

“We have to get her out of here,” The redhead commanded as she finally got a hold of her friend and pulled her up, not bothered by the fact that Wynonna was trying to hit and scratch her. “Waves, grab her other side.” 

Waverly followed her directions. She grabbed onto her sister and tried to not listen to the sound of her own heart beat with terror with the realization that it was Wynonna’s screams that she had been dreaming about. 

* * *

They sat her down on a fountain far enough away from the ballpark so that it was no longer loud. Nicole knew that it was the sounds that affected her this way more than anything. 

Wynonna wasn’t screaming anymore. She was sobbing hysterically, her body shuddering over and over again like she was reliving the same memory on repeat. Nicole whispered things into her ear, but she didn’t stop. 

Waverly tried to touch her sister again, but her the bounty hunter pushed her hand away. It broke Waverly’s heart. 

“Wynonna…” Nicole said, using her first name in a gentle voice. “Shhh… it’s okay. It’s just us, now. Me and Waverly. We're at Fenway Park. We all live in Purgatory, the abandoned hospital. You work for BPD but you help everybody who asks for your help. You like the Foo Fighters and pretend like you don’t sing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” in the shower most mornings. You care about your friends even though you like to act like you don’t. You’re the strongest, most stubborn person I know. And I know you can fight this.” 

The brunette stopped crying, but she was still heaving, searching for air. She braced Nicole’s shoulder, gripping something to get a hold on the world. She turned around and threw up into the fountain. That steadied her. 

“Fuck,” Wynonna breathed out shakily. “Fuck. Fuck. I’m sorry. I-- I gotta go. I got to--” She stood up, almost fell from the dizziness, and began to walk away, knowing Nicole would let her go.

Waverly stood up to go after her sister but Nicole held her back. She had gone through this enough to know what the brunette needed. 

“Don’t. She needs space. We can't help her any further.” 

The brunette didn’t accept that. 

“What the hell was that?” Waverly asked her angrily, her face becoming redder by the second. “What was that right there? Why can’t I chase her? Why does she need space? Has she done that before? How many times? And what do you mean we can't help her anymore. She's my sister. I have to help her. Stop looking at me like that and answer my goddamn ques--” 

It was almost thoughtless, and Nicole hated that she did it that way. The sensation wasn’t what it was supposed to be. The kiss was forceful at first, an action used to shut the brunette up for a moment. It wasn’t romantic or charming or anything like either of them had imagined it beforehand. But then again, life wasn’t a fairy tale. And timing mattered. 

The kiss had softened measurably after the first few initial seconds. Once the frustration dissolved, Waverly indulged herself. She had kissed a girl before, though, she hadn’t told anybody. It was New Year's Eve when she met this lovely stranger she felt like she knew her whole life. It seemed like a romance movie until the morning came and the mystery woman left. And Waverly returned to her boyfriend. 

Nicole’s lips were slightly chapped, but the kiss was still extraordinary, despite the circumstance. For Waverly, it felt like a new beginning. Like she could finally shed that skin of her past and start anew. 

For Nicole, it felt like an ending. 

She pushed the brunette away, her lips buzzing slightly when their lips parted. Immediately, she felt vulnerable as the feeling of Waverly’s lips on her lingered. Her eyes even remained closed for a second, as if she was trying to remember and capture the feeling of the kiss before she opened them and had to deal with the repercussions of emotional actions. 

Waverly was about to ask her why she stopped.

“I’m sorry, Waves. I shouldn’t have-- We can’t. Wynonna.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. Sorry, y'all. Gotta love the angst. 
> 
> Please comment if you can or talk to me on tumblr @haught-n-cold-gay or twitter @chaoticpeacemkr
> 
> PS I am not a red sox fan. I'm a white sox fan. it just so happens I've been to three red sox games against the white sox at Fenway.


	11. The One Where There Are Two Redheads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things tend to fall apart.

Nicole felt nauseous on the train. She stared out the window, trying to focus her attention on helping Wynonna. But Waverly’s kiss still remained in her head. Nicole hated that it was a good kiss. Maybe even her best kiss. She shook that thought out of her head. Waverly was Wynonna’s sister. And she knew Wynonna wouldn’t be happy with her if she found out. And while, yes, more than anything she wanted to kiss the brunette again, her greatest fear was losing Wynonna. She refused to risk it. 

Waverly had a million questions. She wondered where her sister was, what happened to her sister, why anyone hadn’t warned her, and why she suddenly could picture her fifteen-year-old sister crouched in the bathtub, rocking back and forth with the same screams. She wanted to ask Nicole, but the redhead was trying to remain as silent as possible. She could sense her regret. Waverly hated that she just wanted to kiss her again when Nicole seemed so opposed to the idea. 

She cleared her throat. “Where are we going?” 

“Home.” 

“Is that where Wynonna will be?” 

Nicole inhaled and exhaled. “No.” 

“Do you know where she is?”

“She’s safe,” the private investigator answered vaguely. “We’re not the people she needs right now.” 

That pissed the brunette off. “How do you know that what she needs isn’t me?” 

Nicole turned her head to look at her. She clenched her fists. “Because you don’t know her, Waverly. You just got here. She didn’t ask you to come here. In fact, she was the one who left you. And you think that she  _ wants  _ you around?” 

Tears bubbled up in Waverly’s eyes almost immediately. She never believed Wynonna when she said that Nicole was mean. She believed her now. 

The redhead felt the lump in her throat grow. She thought that pushing Waverly away would make things easier. But seeing her cry only made things worse. All she wanted to do was hold her and wipe her tears away. 

Waverly remained quiet the whole ride back and tried to tell herself that wasn’t the Nicole she knew right there. At least, that was what she hoped. 

* * *

Jeremy was in the middle of a conversation with Robin, the hospital’s repairman, when Nicole and Waverly entered Purgatory, both looking grim and sullen. He greeted the both of them, but the redhead just walked away and Waverly could barely wave. 

“Waverly, this is Robin Jett. He’s our handy handyman,” He introduced. “Robin, this is our newest addition, Waverly Earp. She’s Wynonna’s sister.”

The brunette tried to smile at the boy who waved at her. 

“What the lovely Jeremy left out was that I’m also a good listener,” Robin told her with a comforting smile. “You look like you need to talk about something.” 

Waverly was about to say no, but the thought of holding everything in was too much to bear. She needed to get it out. She trusted Jeremy and just based on the looks Jeremy was giving Robin, she was sure that she could trust him too. She nodded and sat down with them on the couch. 

“I don’t know if I should tell you this,” Waverly began and took a deep breath. “Since it’s more about Wynonna than me. But if Nicole already knows… I don’t know. We were at the game and Wynonna just broke down. She started screaming and crying. And… for the life of me I can’t understand why.” 

Jeremy immediately frowned with worry. He sighed and shook his head. “This happens from time to time. It’s not always as extreme as that, but she has… her moments.” 

“Moments of what?” 

“Sadness. Rage. Sometimes even both. Sometimes it’s a rough weekend. Or a few months. I don’t really know what she does during that time. When she has these moments, she doesn’t stay here. I don’t know where she goes and I don’t ask.” 

Waverly put her head in her hands. She hated that she didn’t know this was going on. She hated that no one told her. She hated that she didn’t remember before now. She hated feeling so unhelpful. 

“Do you know why?” She asked him. 

“Why what?” 

“Why she has these fits?” 

Jeremy tilted his head with confusion. “Waverly, she would never tell me anything about it. Just like she wouldn’t tell anyone.” 

“She did it as a teen,” Waverly confessed softly. “I didn’t remember until now. I think…” She was just guessing at this point, “I think it’s because of my sister. M-my other sister.” 

“Wynonna’s a tough person,” Robin pointed out suddenly, reminding the two that he was still there. “But what she’s dealing with is trauma. At least, that’s what it sounds like to me. We should help her.” 

Waverly nodded in agreement. She didn’t care what Nicole said. Her sister needed her. Unfortunately for her, it was only Nicole who knew where she was at. 

“I agree. The only problem is the person that knows where she is, thinks she needs space. Let me go talk to her.” 

Waverly got up and headed for their bedroom. The door was cracked slightly ajar and she could hear a voice. Nicole’s. 

“Doctor… I know... She’s not returning my calls... I know you don’t do house calls… but I don’t know what else to do… yes… no… I’m worried about her… it’s different this time… I know… I know… okay, okay… thank you. I really appreciate it.” 

Once Nicole hung up, Waverly tried to interpret the little that she heard. When she realized that she wasn’t going to get anywhere by guessing, she entered the room. She could tell that there was so much more that was happening that she wasn’t telling her. It was making her furious, by this point. 

“You know what, you’re right,” the brunette stated with anger as she crossed her arms and startled the redhead. “She did leave me. And she probably didn’t want me to come here. But I’m here now. And nothing is going to stop me from trying to help my sister. Because she had those break downs when we were younger and for years I didn’t have any memory of it. So yes, this is about Wynonna. But god, Nicole. This is about me, too. I need to know what’s happening. I need to know why.” 

Nicole stared at her speechlessly. She knew that Waverly deserved the truth. She was just torn. Between her best friend and this girl that she was falling for. Because she was positive the last thing Wynonna wanted was for Waverly to know everything. 

The private investigator sat on the bed and stared at the bedspread. “Before I befriended Wynonna, I was broken. I know you need answers. And I want to give you them. But that isn’t what she wants.” 

“Why?” 

“Because she wants to protect you, Waverly! Why else do you think that she left you? She didn’t want you to have to see what you just saw.” 

The anger fled her body. Waverly stared at Nicole, feeling like her world had just turned upside down. She had never, ever thought about it like that. It made her want to see her sister that much more. 

“Take me to her. I need to see her. If you care about me at all, please take me to her.” 

Nicole sighed and finally looked at her again. “Fine. I’ll take you to her. Let’s go. We’re taking the motorcycle.” 

Waverly nodded and tried to smile at her. She knew how much of a big deal this was. “Hey, Nicole?” 

“What?” 

“I know you didn’t mean what you said to me.” 

Nicole didn’t reply. She didn’t want to admit that Waverly was right. 

* * *

The trip took longer than Waverly had expected. She thought that they might be going to some local bar or dive, but they had to go out of the city to reach their destination. At least, it gave her a moment to think. For years, she hadn’t bothered to try to remember what happened when she was younger. But now, she wanted nothing more than the truth. 

Wynonna was eleven when their father was murdered and their sister was taken. The culprits were never found. Wynonna was the only witness. Then again, she was also the killer. Waverly never asked her sister how the bullets found their way into her father. All she could remember as a kid was that she could never ask. That she knew that asking her would destroy her. 

She was six when it all happened. She was too young to remember the details (like what she was actually doing when the whole ordeal took place), but she could remember the funeral. She remembered that Wynonna didn’t attend. 

The more she thought about it, she realized she didn’t remember seeing Wynonna for weeks after the whole thing occurred. Which wouldn’t have seemed odd to Waverly. Wynonna was gone for periods of time for as long as she could remember. 

Finally, they pulled into this long driveway. When they reached the house, Waverly gaped at it. It was more of a mansion than a house. This was the  _ last  _ place that she would have expected her sister to be. 

Nicole parked the bike and the two of them got off. 

“I know you have a lot of things that you want to ask,” Nicole muttered as they traveled to the front door. “But I know just about nothing. I don’t know why Wynonna comes here or what she does. I just know that I sometimes pick her up here after one of her… you know. I’m not the person to ask.” 

Waverly could accept that. She didn’t want to ask the redhead anyway. She needed answers from her sister at this point. 

The door opened a few seconds after they rang the doorbell. A different redhead, wearing clothes that easily were more expensive than their rent, was the one on the other side of it. She looked the two of them up and down and then sighed. 

“I know Wynonna hasn’t called either of you yet.” She turned her attention toward the brunette. “You must be Waverly. I’ve heard so much about you. Unfortunately, your sister is in her room recovering. I can let her know you--” 

“Who the hell are you?” Waverly asked the redhead, pissed off that she was being talked down from some stranger. 

The redhead grinned. “I guess you do have some Wynonna in you. I’m Mercedes Gardner. While I’m quite offended your sister hasn’t talked to you about me, I’m not surprised. I’m her dirty little secret.” She winked at Waverly. 

“Come again?” 

Mercedes snickered. “Relax, Waverly. I’m not having a lavish affair with your sister, though I would like to and I have offered. Unfortunately, what I really mean is that I’m her friend. And maybe one of her only friends that has seen every side of her.” 

Nicole didn’t appreciate that comment. She had never understood why Wynonna chose to come here for comfort. She never had a pleasant interaction with the other redhead. 

“Waverly needs to speak with her sister. Can you let us through?” 

Mercedes stared at the private investigator with uncertainty. “She has company at the moment, thanks to you. I love when people just show up unannounced to my house. But whatever. Come inside if you wish. You’ll just have to wait until they’re done.” 

Waverly and Nicole followed Mercedes into the house and into the grandiose living area where Mercedes had flopped onto a couch and began to watch a movie she had paused and dug into her bag of cheetos. 

The guests exchanged a look of surprise. They sat down on a different couch and stared at the other redhead with complete confusion. After a few minutes, Mercedes huffed and turned off the television. She turned to the two and glared at them. 

“Your voyeurism is not appreciated. I had to live with that with my brother for years. The sexual tension between the both of you is palpable. Does Wynonna know? Is that why she broke down?” 

Nicole was pissed off, now. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t even know who you are. You could be taking advantage of Wynonna for all I know.” 

Mercedes sat up and stared at Nicole with coldness. “I know about you, Nicole Haught. I know about your little tactic to try to get Wynonna arrested when she investigated cases better than you. I know how you and your partner followed her so you could take credit for the cases she solved. I know how you dug into her past and found out about what happened to her father and tried to convince your captain that she wasn’t fit to be helping the BPD. I know about the case that ended your career.”

“I quit.” 

“Whatever. You tried everything in your power to destroy her. And now you’re playing friend and trying to get into bed with her sister? I know you plenty, Haught. I know you enough to beg Wynonna to stay here so she doesn’t have to go home to you.” She stood up and cleared her throat with tears in her eyes. “Excuse me for a minute.” 

As the redhead walked away, Waverly watched Nicole. She didn’t believe a word that Mercedes had said, but by the look on Nicole’s face, she realized there was at least a kernel of truth in it. 

“Nicole… what… what does she mean? Is any of it true?” 

Nicole gulped and looked down with shame. “Almost all of it is true.” 

Tears flooded the brunette’s eyes. “Y-you… are you using her? Are you using me?” 

“No,” Nicole muttered and reached out to her cheek, but Waverly flinched away. “Wynonna’s my best friend. That’s the truth. And Waverly… what’s between us is real. I have f--” 

“How can you say that after what you have done to her? How can you live in the same place as her knowing what you’ve done? How did I fall for you? You’ve done nothing but keep secrets from me. I don’t even know who you are.” 

Waverly ignored Nicole’s pleading to stay when she walked away and headed in the same direction that Mercedes went. 

Nicole looked at the floor and thought about how quickly things had fallen apart. Though, she had expected this. She knew this was what happened when you fell in love. Everything always goes to shit. Their kiss was the beginning of their end. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment or talk to me on tumblr @haught-n-cold-gay or twitter @chaoticpeacemkr


	12. The One Where Nicole Feels Like She's Lost

Waverly finally found Mercedes outside on the back deck, reclining on a chair and drinking alcohol that the brunette didn’t recognize. The redhead noticed her presence and sighed. 

“Wynonna should have told you about the truth about Haught, but I’m not surprised that she didn’t. She forgave her a long time ago, though I will never understand why.” 

“You don’t like Nicole.” 

Mercedes stared at her with an annoyed eye roll. “I met your sister at a bar. She was drunk, unstable, and was saying things that seemed like nonsense. Men were watching her like they were on the prowl. I knew if I hadn’t brought her home, someone would have taken her. I didn’t even know her name and she was living in my house for a week, barely eating or sleeping, living on the edge of nothing. I’ve always taken care of her. When I first heard Nicole Haught’s name, it was in reference to her incompetence and rudeness. For a year, it only got worse. I know they’re friends now, but I can’t forget what she did to her.” 

The brunette sat down and stared at the birds that flew in the trees in the backyard. She tried to compute the words that she heard, but she was unable to. She had fallen hard for Nicole. She thought she knew her, understood her. What she was learning didn’t sound like Nicole. At least not the Nicole she knew. 

“They are best friends now.” 

“Wynonna’s always had a soft spot for her. I know Haught’s past is cruel and unfortunate. And I know that their loneliness is a comfort to each other. But I will never understand why your sister won’t just stay here with me.” 

Waverly tilted her head with confusion. “You have offered her to stay with you?” 

Mercedes smiled bitterly and shook her head. “I offered her a place to stay since we first met. All I’ve wanted to do was help her and protect her. And it’s not enough.” 

“If I know anything about my sister,” Waverly began, wanting to reassure the redhead. “What scares her the most is people who offer unconditional love. She tends to push away the people she loves the most.” 

Mercedes stared and replied, “I’m glad you’re here. I know that she’ll do all she can to eventually try to push you out, but force her to have a relationship with you. More than anyone, she missed you. She needed you, even if she never admitted it to you directly.” 

Waverly could hear the sorrow in Mercedes’ voice. It made her question whether what the redhead wanted was more than a friendship. Either way, she could tell that there was love there. 

“I know you know more about Nicole than I do,” The younger woman whispered. “But I know what’s in her heart. And there’s good in there. And more than that, I know she cares about my sister. They love each other. In their own strange way.” 

“I know. They do. But I don’t have to accept it.” 

The door opened, interrupting their conversation, and Nicole and a different woman appeared in front of them. 

“Waverly,” Nicole greeted. “This is Dr. Marmaud. She is Wynonna’s therapist.” 

Waverly gaped at them. She knew that there was something not right with her sister, but she would have never guessed that her sister was getting help or even was accepting help from a professional. 

Dr. Joey Marmaud, with her black hair and kind eyes, smiled at the brunette. “Hi, Waverly. I know it’s probably a surprise to see me. Your sister isn’t looking for company right now, but I am happy to speak with you, per Nicole’s request.” 

Waverly nodded speechlessly and followed the two back into the living room, ignoring all the desperate looks from Nicole. 

When they sat down, Dr. Marmaud said, “Nicole tells me that you are worried about your sister. First, I want to assure you of something. I’ve been seeing your sister for a few years now, and I can honestly tell you that she’s improving. But improvement isn’t the same thing as complete recovery. She still has her downs, though they are less frequent.” 

The brunette’s eyes widened. She couldn’t imagine her sister having these moments frequently. The thought horrified her. 

“R-recovery from what?” 

Joey smiled at her sadly and obviously seemed uncomfortable with the idea of sharing information about her client. 

“I have to apologize, Waverly. I am not supposed to talk about my client, even if it is to my client’s sister. I’m happy to have a meeting with you and your sister, but only if Wynonna wants one.” 

The brunette’s heart dropped. “You really can’t tell me anything?” 

Dr. Marmaud frowned. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. I suggested to Wynonna that she speak with you. I think she understands that she has to.” 

“Can I go see her?” 

“She told me to tell you that she needs some time. She’ll be back home when she’s ready to talk to you. But she just needs a little break, okay?” 

Waverly nodded, bummed that she came all this way for no answers. Though, there was still something nagging her. “Wynonna hates asking for help. How come she goes to see you?” 

Dr. Marmaud tilted her head with confusion. “Nicole didn’t tell you? She was the one who sent Wynonna to me.” 

“What?” 

“Well, not directly. It was her boss who makes Wynonna come see me every week so that she can still have her job.” 

Waverly gulped. “You’re saying that Nicole was the one who told their boss about Wynonna’s issues, aren’t you?” 

“Your sister forgave Nicole years ago. I know this information is new to you, but the two of them have gotten through their rough patches. Nicole is… definitively, the one constant in your sister’s life. Besides maybe her job and Mercedes. People change.” 

Waverly wasn’t sure if that was entirely true. But she thanked the therapist for her time anyway. It was obvious to the brunette that Dr. Marmaud did truly care about her sister. And that she did believe that Nicole wasn’t a bad person. But honestly, Waverly didn’t know what to believe anymore. 

Her sister might have not always been stable, but Waverly could have never guessed that her sister was struggling with mental health issues. In her mind, her sister just had a problem with rules and alcohol. She didn’t know that there was more to it. 

And Nicole… she felt like she didn’t know anything about her. At least, nothing that was completely the truth. She wanted to believe that the redhead was good. She wanted to. Because she knew, deep down, there were still feelings. She still wanted Nicole because of the Nicole she got to know in those few days. But she was afraid she didn’t know the real Nicole. 

The private investigator was waiting for her on the front porch. Part of Waverly wanted to just get an Uber, but Nicole hadn’t tried to explain herself away. Instead, Nicole silently led her to the motorcycle and they both wordlessly got on and headed home. 

* * *

“Waverly--” Nicole tried to say as they entered Purgatory, wanting to apologize and explain the truth after thinking about her options while driving. “Waverly, stop walking so quickly away from me.” 

Waverly swiftly turned around and glared at the redhead. “Why should I listen to you at all? Everything you told me was a lie.” 

Nicole sighed and pressed her hand to her temple. “I wasn’t completely honest with you, you’re right. But you  _ do  _ know me. You know the me that I want to be. Who I was before--”

“I don’t want your excuses, okay? I know assholes. I hung out with assholes for years. My ex-boyfriend was an asshole. Been there, done that. I thought you were different. I thought what we had was different. But you are just one of them.” 

Tears flowed from Nicole’s eyes. Everything was going so wrong. “I’m not. Waves--” 

“No. Please just leave me alone, Nicole. Please.” 

Nicole let her go, though part of her wanted to just hold her tight and reassure her that she wasn’t a bad person and that she loved both her and Wynonna. But she didn’t. Instead, she watched the brunette walk to their room and slam the door.  _ Their  _ room. Nicole wondered how fast that would change. 

Tears were falling down her cheeks when Jeremy touched her shoulder with concern. She turned to him and allowed herself to cry in front of him. She didn’t know if she could stop. 

“What happened?” 

She shook her head. She didn’t know if she could say it out loud. How she ruined everything. How, despite everything, she still hadn’t escaped the past and the person she used to be. How she regretted ever falling for Waverly because she should have seen this coming. Love for her never came this easily. It was too good to be true. 

“Is Wynonna okay?” 

“I think so,” She whispered and tried to wipe her tears away. “At least she will be. Waverly on the other hand…” 

Jeremy squeezed her arm. “She’ll come around.”

“How do you know that?” 

He smiled at her gently. “Because of the way she looks at you. It’s not just admiration, Nicole. It’s passion and hope and probably so much more than that.” 

“You mean like the way that Robin looks at you?” 

Jeremy pushed her away. “Not you too. Wynonna gives me enough crap about it already. Don’t look at me like that.” 

She punched him playfully and said, “You know, it’s okay to be--” 

“Yeah, yeah. You don’t need need to finish that sentence. Once again, I get enough of that from Wynonna. She… really overly shares.” 

Nicole almost smiled. “She just wants you to be comfortable with yourself.” 

He nodded anxiously. “She sure says the most uncomfortable things to try to make me comfortable. But this is beside the point. You shouldn’t give up. Just give her some time.” 

She nodded and tried to believe it. Tried to take it in. Tried to not fall apart. 

* * *

When days turned into a week with Wynonna’s absence, Nicole started to work through the nights and sleep through the days to avoid Waverly’s angry glares and uncomfortable tension. It was also a simple solution for the bedroom situation. There was no way they could share a room now. Waverly even put a pause on decorating the room and Nicole wondered if she had returned everything that she had recently bought.

But the truth was, Waverly  _ didn’t  _ return everything. Not only because they bought things that were mostly unreturnable, but because deep down, whether she would ever admit it out loud or not, she still had an ounce of hope. She didn’t know what she had hope in, though. Or who. 

The younger brunette was doing research on cuneiform on a couch in the living room around her friends when the door opened and her heart dropped. Wynonna stood at the entrance, her body looking frail but her eyes looking lighter. Waverly thought her sister looked like one of those people who have gone on a severe cleansing resulting in losing weight but feeling better. 

“Don’t all say something at once,” Wynonna muttered at her group of friends and sister as she flopped down on the couch next to Dolls. “Jesus, who died?” 

Waverly blinked. “Are you kidding me, ‘Nonna? Are you joking? We were worried sick about you.” 

Wynonna bit her lip. “Waves--” 

“Do you even care? You were gone for nine days. I was almost ready to kidnap you from that place.” 

Wynonna looked from her sister to her friends and lowered her voice. “I know. I was dealing with--” 

“Dealing with what? Please, Wynonna. I need answers. I can’t live like this anymore. I feel like I’m in the dark here.” 

The older sister sighed and looked down. “Believe me, Waves. I’m the one in the dark.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has taken this long to get this chapter out. Oof, life. Guys, it's rough. 
> 
> I hope this chapter doesn't break your heart. Anyway, thanks for reading! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!


	13. The One Where Waverly Learns the Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think the title says enough :)

For a second it was a battle of wills. Waverly and Wynonna stared at each other, waiting to see who would break first. But it was the tears in Waverly’s eyes that made Wynonna give in. She knew what she had to do. 

“Grab your coat, baby girl. Let’s take a walk.” 

Waverly took a deep breath and got up to follow her sister outside. The cold air touched her cheeks with a slight surprise. It was getting close to sundown. She thought about how it was just about time for Nicole to wake up. 

“I’m sorry you had to see all that,” Wynonna whispered gently as they walked along the street. “I had been fine for months. I thought it was all over. Who knew the crack of a baseball bat sounded so much like a gunshot when you’re drunk, huh?” 

Waverly frowned.  _ The crack of the baseball bat _ . It made sense now. It made her regret even going to that ballgame and even felt a little guilty about it. Because they went for her. 

“Were you thinking about… daddy?” 

Wynonna crossed her arms and nodded. “Yeah. I shot him. Do you remember that?” Waverly shook her head. “I’m glad to hear that. You were too young. And you weren’t outside when it happened. Did anyone ever tell you what happened? What really happened?” 

“Just the rumors,” Waverly muttered. 

Wynonna nodded. “There were always rumors. To be honest with you, I don’t remember the whole thing quite well either. I know a bunch of people came to our house to rob us. But I couldn’t even point them out in a line-up. But that’s because…” Wynonna took a deep and continued. “That’s because for years, a decade almost, I thought it was demons who came to our house. With red eyes and everything.” 

Waverly gaped at her. “ _ Demons _ ?” 

The older sister chuckled nervously. “Yep. Crazy, right? My therapist says it was how I could deal with what happened to daddy and Willa as a kid. I couldn’t imagine that other people could do something like that to them, so I came up with monsters in my head. Which is really annoying because everyone thought that I was legit crazy as a kid. Gus and Curtis tried almost everything. They sent me out of state to different foster families, they sent me to several hospitals, and gave me a whole cabinet full of drugs to try. That was part of the reason why I had to leave. I refused any more treatment. They did not approve. It was their ultimatum. Either I had to keep taking the drugs or I had to go. And so I did. Gladly. It wasn’t good for me to stay in that town. And you… the last thing you needed was your crazy sister around.” 

Tears flooded out of Waverly’s eyes. She always thought that it was Wynonna who ran away from her. She never even thought about the possibility that it was her aunt and uncle that pushed her sister out. She never knew what absolute shit her sister had gone through. She didn’t know that everyone had completely failed her. 

“I’m so sorry--” 

“No apologizing, baby girl. You had no part in anything. I stayed for as long as I did because of you. You were the light of my childhood, baby girl. Don’t you ever forget it. I was so worried that you’d be disappointed in me when you came. That you’d find out about my PTSD and depressive episodes. I thought you’d think that I was crazy just like Gus and Curtis. And, I dunno. I guess that fear pushed me away from you.” 

Waverly stopped walking and pulled her sister into a giant hug. They held on for dear life. 

“I could never think that you were crazy. You might be ridiculous and chaotic, but not crazy. I’m sure your therapist thinks the same thing.” 

“She has a lot of clinical terms for me. But she has reassured me that none of them include crazy.” Wynonna smirked. “Dr. Joey’s a badass. She thinks you’re awesome, too.” 

Waverly raised her eyebrows. “I met her once.” 

“I’ve only been talking about you for as long as I’ve been going to her. She knows everything about you. You and Nicole are her number one fans.” 

The younger brunette’s face fell at the name of the redhead. “How can you be friends with Nicole?” 

Wynonna sighed. “Ah. I’m sure Mercedes told you all about the Nicole she heard about when I first met her. Mercedes still hasn’t forgiven her. But to be honest, if Nicole and I hadn’t have had our problems, I would have never gone to Dr. Joey. And besides, Nicole isn’t the same person as she was then. I forgave her a long time ago, okay? You should too.” 

“Why did you forgive her?” 

“Because I know the real Nicole. And so do you. Hell, you might know the real Nicole better than I do. She seems to be herself the most around you.” 

Waverly looked down and tried to not acknowledge anything that her sister was possibly insinuating. She understood that there was something that she had to be missing about Nicole. But from what Wynonna was saying, she understood that these were questions for the redhead instead. 

“Wynonna...” She began to change the topic as they headed back to the abandoned building. “I wish I knew. I wish that Gus and Curtis told me. I would have... I would have gone with you.” 

The older sister snorted and shook her head. “They would not have let you come with me, baby girl. I can tell you that for sure. And living alone as a teenager was not easy. You were twelve, Waves. It would have been more than difficult.” 

“But you were alone.” 

“But you were safe and I survived. We’re both fine now, aren’t we? Well, as fine as we can be on this shit planet.” 

A smile crept on Waverly’s face. “That’s weirdly positive of you.” 

“Eww. Then pretend I didn’t say it.” 

* * *

Waiting for Nicole to wake up, Waverly spent an hour playing a game with her friends on the card table. They played Michigan Rummy using skittles as cash. Waverly was slowly getting better at the game, but she couldn’t compare the talents of her older sister and Doc. Dolls was fairly good, but Waverly and Jeremy were obviously not as great as the others. Not that Waverly minded, really. She was just happy to have her sister home. 

When Waverly won the pot for the first time, she cheered and almost raised her eyebrows off her head when she heard Dolls congratulate her. The two of them were slowly becoming more friendly, thought Waverly had to admit she was curious about his secretive life, too. 

They were pretty loud as they played their game so it wasn’t a surprise to her that Nicole woke up from the commotion they were making. The redhead walked to the room they were in wearing practically booty shorts and a tank top. Waverly forced herself to look away. Nicole noticed Wynonna was sitting at the table and smiled. 

“You winning, Earp? Not a surprise since I’m not playing.” 

Wynonna grinned at the redhead. “I’m going to prove you absolutely wrong, Haught-shit. But first, you need to have a conversation with my sister, yeah? Because I cannot handle this tension. You both need to get over yourselves and make up.” 

Waverly’s eyes glanced up at Nicole and for once, she didn’t feel much anger. She just wanted the truth. 

“Can we--” Nicole began but then coughed. “Can I borrow you for a moment?” 

Waverly opened her mouth, but then closed it. Instead, she stood up and nodded. She was surprised when the redhead has led her to the roof. That place was practically their beginning. And it only reminded the brunette that they started as something not completely true. 

“Have you ever found out that people you have known your whole life aren’t the kind of people who you thought they were?” Waverly asked her as she stood at the edge of the building and watched the cars speed angrily by the building. 

Nicole stood behind her, feet away to give her space, and stared at her with concern. “Yes. Who are you talking about?” 

“Gus and Curtis. They abandoned Wynonna. They practically kicked her out. I spent so long…” She paused as she started to tear up. “So long thinking that it was  _ me _ . That it was my fault that she left. My aunt and uncle let me think that for  _ years _ . I hate them.” 

“They raised you.” 

“How can I love them after I learned what they did? How they ripped me apart from my sister. I could have… what Wynonna needed was genuine love and support. And they didn’t give it to her.” 

The private investigator approached her slowly and stood next to her. “What they did was wrong, Waverly. But you also do  _ know  _ them. They raised you. They love you. I can tell from the way you have talked about them. And besides, sometimes, despite how hard you try, it’s hard not to love your parents. Even with all the shit they do to you.” 

Waverly turned her head to finally look at the redhead. “What did your parents do to you?” 

Nicole sighed and placed her arms onto the railing and felt the breeze in her hair. She recognized that the had one more chance with the brunette. One chance to make everything alright again. One chance for forgiveness. One chance for the possibility of something more. Even if that meant telling her the truth. It was now or never. 

“They ignored me. Completely. They say that I was born in a commune. Children were prohibited so they kicked us out. My parents tried to have a normal life. Until I was maybe about six or seven when they found a commune that allowed kids. After a few months, we moved to a new one. And then a new one and a new one. Each one worse than the previous. Boston was different. My parents really liked this one commune. I’d call it a cult. I wasn’t a fan of the leader. He was... a creepy little bastard. So I left and I uh… couch-surfed and lived in different places. Until college.” 

The brunette tried to ingest that story. She knew that something must have happened to the redhead to make her so secretive, but she would have never guessed  _ this. _ The abandonment that the redhead faced at such a young age… it was unimaginable. 

“The bridge you took me to? Was that… did you live…?” 

Nicole stared off at the sky and nodded. “I stayed there for a while. Until my friends found out and took me in.” 

“Did you paint the stars?” 

“I did. I had to. I don't even really remember doing it, but I think it kept me going. And I guess you’re wondering how a street kid like me with a tragic backstory became a self-righteous cop who did wrong to your sister.” 

Waverly had to admit, Nicole was right. She  _ was _ wonderi ng about that. There were still so many holes in her stories. She couldn’t imagine how that damaged girl capable of so much empathy could become cold and vicious to her sister. 

“I might have been a messed up kid, but I was smart. Because of my standardized test scores, I was able to get into college. I thought it would be my escape. And I was right. Because I met Shae there. She was my lifeline. She taught me everything, changed my views about everything. Out of college, we immediately got married and joined the academy together, which is funny, since I never wanted to be a cop before I met her. 

“We made sure we were always one step ahead and behind each other so that we could join BPD together. It was her dream. When we made it, everyone could see how well we worked together. We were like a machine. We were partners and I thought things were perfect. I was dedicated for sure to the department, but I was more dedicated to Shae. When I first met Wynonna, she was investigating the same case as us. Shae immediately hated her. And I mean despised her. She thought Wynonna was the definition of trash. Therefore, I thought the same thing. Wynonna was smarter than us and it became Shae’s mission to destroy Wynonna’s reputation and bond to the police department. She asked me to find dirt on her. I did. I found out about her past and her mental health and used them against her. BPD did something unexpected. Instead of forcing her away from cases, they forced her to get help and offered her a job to consult. 

“So, we continued to torment her. And I didn’t feel guilty about it. Shae and I were planning on having a family. We were in love. I thought my life was perfect. That is, until I found out she was forcing confessions and was proud of the fact. See that… that fucked me up. Because I grew up on the streets where police had ruined people’s lives by forced confessions. When I tried to tell my superiors about this case where I thought she forced a confession out of a teenager, my superiors chose Shae’s side. I quit. That’s when I went to Wynonna for help and I explained everything to her. We… we tried to help the teenager. But BPD has power.”

Waverly tilted her head in confusion. “Then why would Wynonna ever choose to work or affiliate with them?” 

“To get evidence about the corruption there. Though we are realizing that they won’t let her in close enough for her to get enough information.” 

At last, Waverly felt like she had an understanding. As much as she hated what Nicole did to Wynonna, she at least now knew why. At least Nicole had realized her mistakes and wanted to change for the better. Besides, she understood what it was like to change for someone you thought you loved. She did the same thing with Champ. 

“So, you’re divorced.” 

Nicole nodded. “Very. She was angry and took almost everything, but it was worth it. I got away. But I was so poor that Wynonna took pity on me and helped me get a place here.” 

“You loved her. Shae.” 

“I did. She was one of the only people I have ever fallen in love with. When I look back. I think I fell so hard because of how much I wanted to love someone and a person to go home to. Since I was devoid of it for so long. I guess I’ve been so afraid of falling for someone again. I don’t know if I could take it again.” 

Waverly grabbed Nicole’s hand and turned to face her. “Shae wasn’t the one, Nicole. I was a different person with the last person I was with too. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t find someone else. Someone who understands and wants us for being us. Who doesn’t want to change us.” 

Nicole bit her lip and felt the tears fall. “I never thought I would ever… feel like this for anyone. Not in the way that I feel for you. But it’s completely terrifying.” 

“We can go slow. I'm happy to go slow." 

The private investigator raised her eyebrows. "I thought... you forgive me?" 

Waverly smiled gently at her. "Do you promise to be honest here on out?" 

Nicole's heart fluttered with hope. "Of course." 

"Then I’d like to see how far this could go. Because you’re pretty amazing.” 

“What a coincidence. I think you're pretty amazing too.” 

In one swift motion, they went from being apart, to being in each other’s arms, kissing desperately, never wanting to let go. It wasn’t as fleeting or uncertain as their last one. This was something that they both wanted and were sure of. This time, there was nothing stopping them. 

They didn’t hear the door open. They didn’t notice Wynonna staring at them on the roof. They didn’t stop kissing until they heard her voice. 

“Shit. I just came out here for a smoke.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has taken me so long to get this chapter out, guys. Life's crazy.
> 
> I want to give you guys the story that you all deserve, but I just am having a hard time. There is so much more I wish I could have done with this story, but it's sort of escaped me. Thank you so much for sticking with me, everyone. There are only going to be a few more chapters, unfortunately, but I'll try to give you guys a worthy ending. 
> 
> Thank you all so much!


	14. The One Where Nothing Goes Wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all! I hate to cut this fic so short and so abruptly, but I'm having trouble continuing this story. I'm hoping that at some point I can add a few chapters with a better ending than this one. 
> 
> I really appreciate everyone's support for this story! I wish I could have created a better ending for you guys, but I still hope you enjoy. Thank you!

Nicole and Waverly froze for a second before pulling apart. They jumped away from each other and stared at the brunette, eyes almost popping out of their heads.

“I wanted you two to make up, not make out. Wow. Fuck. Um… how long has this been going on?” 

It was the redhead’s immediate urge to deny, deny, deny. One of her nightmares was playing in front of her. She wanted to be with Waverly, but not at the loss of her best friend. She never wanted to have to choose. 

Waverly gulped. She never thought that this would piss her sister off, she never thought she would have to explain herself to her sister. What she had with Nicole was so… separated from everything else. It had nothing to do with her relationship with her sister. But now that she saw the look on her sister’s face, the slight look of betrayal, her heart sank. She felt like she was letting her sister down. 

“Hello? Did you suck the voices out of each other’s mouths?” 

Nicole sighed and shook her head. Now that she was doing this honesty thing, she decided to just continue with it. 

“We just kissed, Wynonna. We aren’t doing anything behind your back. But I do… I have feelings for your sister.” 

Wynonna’s eyes widened. “Oh. Oh. Ew. Oh god. Please stop talking.” 

Waverly frowned and bit her lip. “We didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, ‘Nonna. We don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or left out--” 

“Oh god, stop.” Wynonna covered her eyes with her hands and groaned. “You are misinterpreting my disturbed reactions. I would have the same reaction no matter  _ who  _ was snogging my sister and my best friend. Ew. Blech.” 

Nicole didn’t know if she heard her right. “Wait, so you don’t care that it’s  _ me  _ that she’s--” 

“Oh, please don’t say it. It’s whatever, alright?” 

Waverly turned to look at Nicole and then back at her sister. “Whatever?” 

Wynonna flung her hands up in the air and shouted, “If you gotta fuck each other, fuck each other! What the hell am I gonna do about it? Just… refrain from doing anything in front of me and we’re cool. Jesus. And I thought I was the horny one who needed to stick my tongue in everyone's mouths.” 

Nicole and Waverly didn’t quite feel like this moment was real. Without really saying it, Wynonna was giving her (albeit reluctant) approval. In typical Wynonna fashion. Rudely and with a nonchalant, noncommittal shrug. 

“Stop staring at me like that. It’s freaking me out. You know what, go back to making out. I’ll just go return to the game.” 

Wynonna turned around and Waverly shouted, “Wait! Can we join you?” 

The oldest woman covered up her smile and nodded. “Fine. If you must.” 

* * *

Nicole seemed to be Waverly’s good luck charm. With the smiling redhead by her side, her amount of skittles began to multiply. Doc even accused her of cheating. Waverly didn’t even have to defend herself. Wynonna and Nicole immediately did that for her. The brunette, for the first time, felt like she was at home in Purgatory. 

Jeremy seemed to notice almost immediately that the two girls were no longer fighting and were no longer just friends. He caught the redhead’s eyes and grinned knowingly. He was right when he told her that Waverly would understand. He was happy for them. And it gave him some hope. Hope that maybe, one day, he’d tell Robin how he felt. 

Doc and Dolls were either more oblivious to the change, or they just didn’t give a damn. Either way, they didn’t acknowledge any of it. They seemed used to the drama with the people in the hospital. 

The night continued with shouts, dramatic threats, and more stashed candy into the pot. By 2:00 AM, their stomachs were aching from all the junk food and laughter. Jeremy, always the inevitable party pooper, was the first one to suggest that they head to bed. Wynonna, Nicole, and Doc all yelled, all close to tied up with the same amount of food. 

“Let’s play poker for the rest of the pots and finish up,” Dolls suggested, knowing that would end the game and decide who would win. 

From the smallest pots to the largest, they played four-card-poker, giving each person a chance to win. Wynonna and Doc were winning almost all of them. Until the end. Waverly won the biggest pot, startling herself and her competitive friends. 

Nicole squeezed her hand in congratulations from under the table. They weren’t going to embrace each other in front of Wynonna for a while. But Wynonna didn’t have to see their hands to notice the moment they were having.

“God, you two are already nauseating. I’m going to go to bed so I don’t see the two of you continue to eye-fuck.” 

The group of friends said goodnight to each other and the couple soon trailed to their bedroom, neither knowing what to expect. 

When Waverly closed the door, she watched as Nicole flopped onto the bed. She took a deep breath with anticipation. She didn’t know what the redhead wanted. Hell, she didn’t even know what she wanted at that very moment. They were going to go slow, but Waverly looked at her and felt ready. Nervous, but ready. 

“You okay, Waves?” 

The brunette gulped. “You just slept for a few hours. I don’t want to ruin your sleep schedule--” 

“Screw the sleep schedule. It sucked. I could never sleep. What do you want?” 

Waverly grinned. "I want you."

* * *

Nicole woke up and immediately reached to cover her eyes. She wasn’t used to waking up with the sun. She attempted to pull the covers over her eyes, but they were being held tightly by the brunette next to her. Nicole grinned. Waverly had tucked herself in the sheets so that no part of her naked body was uncovered. She had quickly learned that the brunette needed warmth. She had pulled Nicole’s body closer to her own during the night, not that it would have ever bothered Nicole. 

Trying to make the least amount of movement as possible, Nicole tried to position herself so that she could see the time. Reaching over the brunette slightly, the private investigator noticed that it was 11:00 am. It was definitely the longest amount of sleep she had had for years. Waverly had worn her out in the best way possible. 

Waverly opened her eyes and laughed at the strange position her girlfriend was in. “What are you doing, Nicole?” 

The redhead almost blushed and responded, “I’m just checking the time. I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t wake you up.” 

The younger girl grinned and moved so that she was facing the redhead. “Don’t apologize. I’m happy I’m awake. Have you been up long?” 

Nicole shook her head. “Actually, I just woke up. I think you just cured my insomnia.” 

Waverly chuckled. “I’m sure that’s not completely true, but I’m glad. I hate that you had to sleep throughout the day for weeks because of my… annoying grudge.” 

“It’s really fine, Waverly,” Nicole reassured her. “It wasn’t like I was really sleeping much anyway. But I am super happy to have you next to me again.” 

“Me too. Just don’t say that too loud in front of Wynonna.” 

Nicole snorted. “She’ll get over it. She likes us too much to give that much of a shit. Besides, she cannot judge our romance with her relationships all over the place.” 

Waverly tilted her head in confusion. “Are you talking about Doc?” 

The redhead shrugged. “I guess. But I don’t think it’s ever really been Doc that has had her heart.” 

Waverly didn’t know who she was talking about for a second, but then it all came to her in a sudden realization. Nicole was right. It definitely  _ was  _ complicated. The brunette decided that she had to have a talk with her sister about it later. 

“Anyway,” Waverly said to change the subject. “What do you want to do today? Do you have work?” 

Nicole almost  _ always _ had work. But that didn’t really seem to matter to her much. She shook her head. “I’m spending the day with you. You know… we never did get the chance to decorate this room. I wouldn’t be much help, but I’d love to see what you come up with.” 

The brunette grinned at her. “You have no clue how many ideas I have. Be warned, I might scare you with them.” 

Nicole smiled back at her. “You know, Waverly Earp. I don’t think you could ever scare me.” 

* * *

“Wait, you both are  _ really  _ decorating your room? You weren’t just saying that as a cover for sex?” Wynonna asked when she opened the door to her best friend and sister’s room when it was time for lunch. 

“That’s really what you thought?” Nicole asked but then quickly corrected herself. “Wait, nevermind. Of course that’s what you thought.” 

Wynonna rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry that I’m just a much more interesting person than the both of you.” 

“Wait, if we  _ were  _ having sex like you thought, you would have just walked in on us. Without knocking or anything.” Waverly stared at her sister with horror. 

“I’m hungry, baby girl. I gotta eat. If I had to interrupt you two doing the dirty, then so be it. Jeremy would like your assistance, by the way, Haught. He’s making something for us and I was told that I was not allowed to help.” 

Nicole raised her eyebrows. “You offered to help?” 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Haught-dog. Now, scram and let me have time with my sister alone, please.” 

In retaliation, Nicole kissed Waverly on the cheek and then glared at the older brunette before returning to the kitchen to help Jeremy with lunch. 

Wynonna huffed. “Cheeky. Your girlfriend’s a weird one, Waves. I am somewhat doubting your romantic taste.” 

Waverly rolled her eyes. “She is  _ your  _ best friend.” 

“True, but that’s different. I don’t have to be around her 24/7, be nice to her, or learn everything about her. That’s the great thing about not being in a relationship. You don’t have to do that shit.”

The younger brunette frowned. She found that to be depressing. “Is that why you aren’t seeing Mercedes?” 

Wynonna stared at her sister blankly. “Excuse me? Who said I would ever want to see Mercedes?” 

Waverly bit her lip. “She likes you, Wynonna. Maybe even more than likes you. And she’s the one that you choose to spend time with when you’re vulnerable. That must mean something to you.” 

The older sister glared. “Just because you’re in the beginning of relationship la-la-land stage doesn’t mean I have to be too. I am not good at them. I don’t particularly enjoy them. They’re too much work. They’re all about giving and taking and I don’t like to do either.” She lowered her voice. “Besides, I don’t want to do that to Mercedes. She deserves someone who isn’t as shitty at relationships.” 

“But she wants you,” Waverly argued. “And you like her, right? Isn’t that all that matters?” 

Wynonna sighed and stared at the wall. She hated it when her sister sounded as logical as her therapist. 

* * *

“I’ve never seen you smile more when making food with me,” Jeremy joked lightly as they both took turns chopping different vegetables for the salad. “I’m guessing you and Waverly had a good night.” 

Nicole gasped and shoved Jeremy’s shoulder. “Hey, don't make me sound like... I'm sex-obsessed. We had... a good time. But you know I don't need sex in a relationship.” 

“Which is why you and Wynonna never dated.” 

The redhead chuckled. “That’s one of a million reasons why Wynonna and I haven’t dated. Me rarely feeling sexual attraction toward people has nothing to do with whether or not Wynonna and I would be compatible.” 

Jeremy smirked. “Okay, Nicole. I’m just joking. I’m glad that you’re happy with Waverly. Happiness really suits you.” 

Nicole grinned. “Thank you, Jeremy. I mean it. I didn’t think I would ever have this again. Not after… not after my last relationship ended so poorly. And especially not after I thought I ruined things with Waverly.” 

“I told you things would work out in the end.”

“You were right,” Nicole conceded. “But it’s your turn now too, you know. Robin’s not going to wait forever.” 

“I know. I’ll tell him soon.” 

“Good,” The private investigator said with a smile. “Because Waverly and I will need a couple to double date with.” 

* * *

“Wow, I can’t believe you made this room look… well… lived in.” Nicole looked around at her old room in awe. In wasn’t just hers anymore and she couldn’t be happier. It wasn’t bare and gloomy because she thought that at any point she would have to leave. It was homey now. Her home. A place for her to stay and treat like a place to live, not a hotel. 

“I’m glad you like it. I guess this means that I’ll be staying here when I take my classes, huh?” 

Nicole pulled Waverly into her arms. “Well, that’s my hope. Would you mind the commute?” 

Waverly grinned at her girlfriend. “If I got to live with you? I wouldn’t even complain.” 

At the sound of the clearing of a throat, they turned around to find Lucado standing there with her arms crossed. 

“I’m genuinely surprised. And here I thought you two were lying to me about being a couple and sharing the room. I guess I stand corrected. When the two of you break up, let me know which one of you is keeping the room, alright? I’m not going to decide for you. Unless one of you want to pay more, of course.” 

Waverly and Nicole shared an eye roll. Lucado thought their relationship wouldn’t last, but she couldn’t have been more wrong. 

* * *

“Would you like me to get you anything, younger Earp?” Dolls asked as they all sat down in front of the television for another movie night. 

Waverly looked from her sister, to her new friends, to Nicole who was resting her head on her shoulder and shook her head. She came to Boston thinking that she would reconnect with her sister, but she got so much more. She never thought she would have found this family who just saw her as herself, who never wanted her to be anyone else. She got to be herself. She got to be free and feel loved. She felt happy in a way she had never felt before. 

“No thanks. I’ve got everything I need right here.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! :)


End file.
